Syed Haider Imam
Chief Minister (5k+ posts)
AUG 19 2015
KPK Updates
- Thread starter Syed Haider Imam
- Start date
Syed Haider Imam
Chief Minister (5k+ posts)
AUG 20 2015
Syed Haider Imam
Chief Minister (5k+ posts)
Aug 21 2015
[h=1]Now, offences covered by Ehtesab Commission Act non-bailable
[/h]PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Thursday passed a bill to amend the Ehtesab Commission Act for barring all courts, including the Supreme Court, from granting bail to the suspects held under that law.
“All offences under this (Ehtesab Commission) Act shall be non-bailable and no court shall have jurisdiction to grant bail to any person accused of an offence under this Act,” said Section 23 (II)(3) of the Ehtesab Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2015, which was unanimously passed by the assembly.
Certain amendments were made to the existing law to make accountability process more aggressive.
[h=4]PA passes amendments to law to make accountability process more stringent[/h]
Opposition leader Maulana Lutfur Rehman, who belongs to Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl, opposed amendments and asked the government to refer the bill to the House’ committee before the passage stage. He was of the view that constant amendments in the laws were no good practice.
Speaker Asad Qaisar said the government could make such legislation under Rules 82 and 83 of the assembly’s Procedure and Conduct of Business Rules and gave floor to the law minister Imtiaz Shahid Qureshi to move reso9lution for the passage of the bill.
The government had tabled the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ehtesab Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2015, on Tuesday to remove certain gaps from the law.
Several suspects arrested under this law have got bail from the Peshawar High Court prompting the government to make amendments to it to ensure applicability of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
Minerals and mines development minister Ziaullah Afridi is already in the custody of the Ehtesab Commission. A petition filed by his brother seeking Ziaullah’s release has been pending with the high court.
Under the amended law, anyone convicted for an offence under this Act shall not be entitled to any remission in his sentence.
The amended law empowers the government to declare any place a police station for the purposes of this Act, in terms of clause(s) of sub-section (1) of Section 4 of the code.
“Provided that in exigencies, which requires immediate action, the Director General, or an officer duly authorized by him, may declare and notify any place to be a police station or a sub-jail, for the purpose of arrest or efficient investigations, in the interest of justice.”
Making amendment to Section 42(1) the law said notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force, each matter brought before the court under this Act, shall be disposed of within three months from the date of reference being made.
After framing of charges for the trial of a suspect, the court shall hear the case on day-to-day basis.
The amended law said it would be the responsibility of the commission and suspects to arrange legal representation and presence of its attorney or pleader on each hearing, failing which the Court shall proceed in the absence of attorney or pleader.
The house also passed the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Local Government (Fourth Amendment) Bill, 2015, which was tabled by local government minister Inayatullah Khan.
Amended Section 79 of the law said provided that the nazim and naib nazim of the district or tehsil or town council, as the case may be, shall be elected by votes of the majority of the total members of the respective district council or tehsil or town council.
The house also passed the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Medical Teaching Institutions Reforms (Amendment) Bill, 2015.
After amendment, the services of employees will become pensionable and made the institution-based practice optional for doctors and staff of Peshawar’s Lady Reading Hospital, Khyber Teaching Hospital and Hayatabad Medical Complex and Abbottabad’s Ayub Teaching Hospital.
Under the amended law, the employees opting for the private practice within the premises of the hospital, clinics, imaging facilities and laboratories of the MTI, may be entitled to such increase in salary, adjustment, bonuses or other ancillary benefits.
Published in Dawn, August 21st, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1201860/now-offences-covered-by-ehtesab-commission-act-non-bailable
[h=1]13 traders fined over encroachments in Kohat bazaar
[/h]KOHAT: The administration removed encroachments from 13 shops and fined as many traders in a crackdown in the main Kohat bazaar.
Additional assistant commissioner Mohammad Zubair along with staff of the tehsil municipal committee reached the bazaar and removed extended floors of over a dozen shops. The encroachments had been causing blockage of the drainage system of bazaar because the sweepers could not clean it properly as they were covered by cemented platforms.
Each shopkeeper was also fined Rs5,000 and warned that they would be sent to prison if they made encroachments again. Earlier, the administration had removed sheds of the shops which were extended by three to five feet by the traders.
Meanwhile, assistant commissioner Ali Asghar sealed an illegal ice factory on Bannu road and arrested its five employees. Two petrol pumps were also fined Rs40,000 each for tampering the quantity gadget.
COLLEGE ADMISSION ISSUE: A jirga decided here on Thursday that MPA Ziaullah Bangash and clerks of the government girls degree college, KDA, would withdraw cases against each other and bury the hatchet in a case of clash over the admissions issue.
It would again meet for considering the admissions of the ignored applicants. The jirga was headed by MNA Shehryar Afridi and participated by president of all clerks association Farooq Shah, Karamat Shah and some councillors. The agreement between both the parties would be signed on Aug 25 and police cases would be withdrawn by the college principal and the MPA.
The situation had aggravated after the police refused to register an FIR against the MPA taking the plea that nobody was injured and no damage had been caused to the college, said a police spokesman.
ROBBER HELD: The Junglekhel police have arrested an alleged dacoit who had looted gold jewellery and mobile phones from three houses of Afghan refugees in Ghamkol camp.
Police said that the alleged dacoit identified as Khayal Gul and a resident of Mashogagar, Peshawar, broke into the houses of Taj Mohammad, Mohammad Ghani and Dotar Khan and took away the jewellery and mobile phones. The accused was rounded up while fleeing the camp.
Published in Dawn, August 21st, 2015
[h=1]Enforcement of new health law in limbo
[/h]PESHAWAR: The implementation of the health reforms law remains in limbo owing to lack of coordination between the health department and members of the boards of governors (BoGs), who have been tasked by none other than Imran Khan, whose Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf rules the province, to change the system.
Team volunteers, who are members of BoGs, are finding it hard to implement the new law aimed at improve patients’ care at the four teaching hospitals, selected for the enforcement of Medical Teaching Institution Health Reforms Act, 2015.
Each hospital has appointed a 10-member BoG. The new system is aimed at giving independence to the hospitals.
[h=4]Lack of coordination between health department and BoGs of teaching hospitals major problem[/h]
Seven unpaid members in each of the BoGs are from private side. They have made strenuous efforts to enforce the new law but the progress is not good.
Prof Nausherwan Burki, chairman BoG LRH, the moving spirit behind the new law, has come a long way from the US to materialise the new system. He has made hectic efforts to enforce the new law but he is unable to bring desired changes on the ground because he lacks administrative and legal support.
Dr Tahir Shah, who imparts training to doctors in trauma in Saudi Arabia, lands here too often to push things at Lady Reading Hospital in his capacity as board’s member. Saleem Khan Jhagra, a former secretary health, is another prominent man on LRH BoG but the problem is that bureaucratic operation isn’t forthcoming.
Dr Abdul Bari, who runs Karachi-based free Indus Hospital, is another member of BoG. He is technically sound and knows how to execute the PTI’s reforms agenda, but requires full-scale support.
With regard to MTR implementation, Khyber Teaching Hospital and Hayatabad Medical Complex Peshawar and Ayub Teaching Hospital (ATH) Abbottabad, the other three hospitals where the PTI wants to put in place a totally new system, are no different.
Only LRH has selected hospital director and is near to appoint medical director.
Dr Faisal Sultan, the chief executive of Shaukat Khnam Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, is heading the BoG KTH while his colleague Dr Asim Yousaf is responsible for enforcement of MTI at Ayub Teaching Hospital, but the progress is unsatisfactory given their reputations of the medical arena.
The BoGs desperately want to purchase equipments, medicines and make new appointments to take first step towards implementation of the law but they face bureaucratic hurdles.
The government made 13 amendments to the MTI on Thursday to allay fear of the employees that their services were being privatised. The law gives them option to do the institution-based practice in the hospitals or outside.
A similar attempt by the then government in 2002 forced the doctors to start IBP only in hospitals and banned them from running clinics outside but this law is more flexible. The law ensures that all the employees would get post-retirement benefits like other civil servants.
Health department’s inability to face cases in courts filed against the new law signals a visible lack of coordination between department and BoG members.
Appointment of interim medical and hospital directors from those, who already worked on such positions at those hospitals soon after the MTR’s implementation, proved useless. They could have started evening OPDs and new timing schedule but being associated with the old system, they are at ease in status quo.
MTI implementation is much easier now if the health department places its wisdom and strengthens BoGs because the law has now been changed in line with the employees’ aspirations but government role is of paramount importance to prove Imran Khan true, who has promised an effective system in one year.
Published in Dawn, August 21st, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1201849/enforcement-of-new-health-law-in-limbo
[h=1]NAB arrests five for forest funds embezzlement
[/h]PESHAWAR: The National Accountability Bureau, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has arrested five persons, including a newly-elected member of Chitral district council and a former divisional forest officer, on the charges of embezzling Rs76 million forest funds of the royalty-holders in Chitral.
The arrested suspects include the councillor-elect Prince Khalid Pervez, who is brother of MNA Prince Iftikharuddin; the then Chitral DFO Gulzarur Rehman who is now assistant professor at the Peshawar Forest College; and three private persons Noor Shahideen, Rehmat Karim, Malik Shaye.
The suspects were produced before an accountability judge, Tariq Yousafzai, on Thursday, which remanded them into the custody of NAB for 14 days. The judge directed that the suspects should be produced on Sept 3 again.
Prince Pervez is also the district president of All Pakistan Muslim League of retired Gen Pervez Musharraf and son of former federal minister Shehzada Mohiuddin.
The NAB stated that on the complaint of royalty-holders the bureau had initiated an inquiry in which it was revealed that as per policy of forest department, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the royalty should be distributed among the royalty-holders of the locality equally through the joint forest management committee.
It is alleged that the suspect, Noor Shahideen, had made a fake JFMC and fraudulently made himself its chairman through the connivance of other accused persons.
The suspects later embezzled Rs76 million through complex banking transactions and pocketed the same.
Published in Dawn, August 21st, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1201863/nab-arrests-five-for-forest-funds-embezzlement
[h=1]
[/h]
[h=1]Now, offences covered by Ehtesab Commission Act non-bailable
[/h]PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Thursday passed a bill to amend the Ehtesab Commission Act for barring all courts, including the Supreme Court, from granting bail to the suspects held under that law.
“All offences under this (Ehtesab Commission) Act shall be non-bailable and no court shall have jurisdiction to grant bail to any person accused of an offence under this Act,” said Section 23 (II)(3) of the Ehtesab Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2015, which was unanimously passed by the assembly.
Certain amendments were made to the existing law to make accountability process more aggressive.
[h=4]PA passes amendments to law to make accountability process more stringent[/h]
Opposition leader Maulana Lutfur Rehman, who belongs to Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl, opposed amendments and asked the government to refer the bill to the House’ committee before the passage stage. He was of the view that constant amendments in the laws were no good practice.
Speaker Asad Qaisar said the government could make such legislation under Rules 82 and 83 of the assembly’s Procedure and Conduct of Business Rules and gave floor to the law minister Imtiaz Shahid Qureshi to move reso9lution for the passage of the bill.
The government had tabled the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ehtesab Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2015, on Tuesday to remove certain gaps from the law.
Several suspects arrested under this law have got bail from the Peshawar High Court prompting the government to make amendments to it to ensure applicability of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
Minerals and mines development minister Ziaullah Afridi is already in the custody of the Ehtesab Commission. A petition filed by his brother seeking Ziaullah’s release has been pending with the high court.
Under the amended law, anyone convicted for an offence under this Act shall not be entitled to any remission in his sentence.
The amended law empowers the government to declare any place a police station for the purposes of this Act, in terms of clause(s) of sub-section (1) of Section 4 of the code.
“Provided that in exigencies, which requires immediate action, the Director General, or an officer duly authorized by him, may declare and notify any place to be a police station or a sub-jail, for the purpose of arrest or efficient investigations, in the interest of justice.”
Making amendment to Section 42(1) the law said notwithstanding anything contained in any other law for the time being in force, each matter brought before the court under this Act, shall be disposed of within three months from the date of reference being made.
After framing of charges for the trial of a suspect, the court shall hear the case on day-to-day basis.
The amended law said it would be the responsibility of the commission and suspects to arrange legal representation and presence of its attorney or pleader on each hearing, failing which the Court shall proceed in the absence of attorney or pleader.
The house also passed the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Local Government (Fourth Amendment) Bill, 2015, which was tabled by local government minister Inayatullah Khan.
Amended Section 79 of the law said provided that the nazim and naib nazim of the district or tehsil or town council, as the case may be, shall be elected by votes of the majority of the total members of the respective district council or tehsil or town council.
The house also passed the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Medical Teaching Institutions Reforms (Amendment) Bill, 2015.
After amendment, the services of employees will become pensionable and made the institution-based practice optional for doctors and staff of Peshawar’s Lady Reading Hospital, Khyber Teaching Hospital and Hayatabad Medical Complex and Abbottabad’s Ayub Teaching Hospital.
Under the amended law, the employees opting for the private practice within the premises of the hospital, clinics, imaging facilities and laboratories of the MTI, may be entitled to such increase in salary, adjustment, bonuses or other ancillary benefits.
Published in Dawn, August 21st, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1201860/now-offences-covered-by-ehtesab-commission-act-non-bailable
[h=1]13 traders fined over encroachments in Kohat bazaar
[/h]KOHAT: The administration removed encroachments from 13 shops and fined as many traders in a crackdown in the main Kohat bazaar.
Additional assistant commissioner Mohammad Zubair along with staff of the tehsil municipal committee reached the bazaar and removed extended floors of over a dozen shops. The encroachments had been causing blockage of the drainage system of bazaar because the sweepers could not clean it properly as they were covered by cemented platforms.
Each shopkeeper was also fined Rs5,000 and warned that they would be sent to prison if they made encroachments again. Earlier, the administration had removed sheds of the shops which were extended by three to five feet by the traders.
Meanwhile, assistant commissioner Ali Asghar sealed an illegal ice factory on Bannu road and arrested its five employees. Two petrol pumps were also fined Rs40,000 each for tampering the quantity gadget.
COLLEGE ADMISSION ISSUE: A jirga decided here on Thursday that MPA Ziaullah Bangash and clerks of the government girls degree college, KDA, would withdraw cases against each other and bury the hatchet in a case of clash over the admissions issue.
It would again meet for considering the admissions of the ignored applicants. The jirga was headed by MNA Shehryar Afridi and participated by president of all clerks association Farooq Shah, Karamat Shah and some councillors. The agreement between both the parties would be signed on Aug 25 and police cases would be withdrawn by the college principal and the MPA.
The situation had aggravated after the police refused to register an FIR against the MPA taking the plea that nobody was injured and no damage had been caused to the college, said a police spokesman.
ROBBER HELD: The Junglekhel police have arrested an alleged dacoit who had looted gold jewellery and mobile phones from three houses of Afghan refugees in Ghamkol camp.
Police said that the alleged dacoit identified as Khayal Gul and a resident of Mashogagar, Peshawar, broke into the houses of Taj Mohammad, Mohammad Ghani and Dotar Khan and took away the jewellery and mobile phones. The accused was rounded up while fleeing the camp.
Published in Dawn, August 21st, 2015
[h=1]Enforcement of new health law in limbo
[/h]PESHAWAR: The implementation of the health reforms law remains in limbo owing to lack of coordination between the health department and members of the boards of governors (BoGs), who have been tasked by none other than Imran Khan, whose Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf rules the province, to change the system.
Team volunteers, who are members of BoGs, are finding it hard to implement the new law aimed at improve patients’ care at the four teaching hospitals, selected for the enforcement of Medical Teaching Institution Health Reforms Act, 2015.
Each hospital has appointed a 10-member BoG. The new system is aimed at giving independence to the hospitals.
[h=4]Lack of coordination between health department and BoGs of teaching hospitals major problem[/h]
Seven unpaid members in each of the BoGs are from private side. They have made strenuous efforts to enforce the new law but the progress is not good.
Prof Nausherwan Burki, chairman BoG LRH, the moving spirit behind the new law, has come a long way from the US to materialise the new system. He has made hectic efforts to enforce the new law but he is unable to bring desired changes on the ground because he lacks administrative and legal support.
Dr Tahir Shah, who imparts training to doctors in trauma in Saudi Arabia, lands here too often to push things at Lady Reading Hospital in his capacity as board’s member. Saleem Khan Jhagra, a former secretary health, is another prominent man on LRH BoG but the problem is that bureaucratic operation isn’t forthcoming.
Dr Abdul Bari, who runs Karachi-based free Indus Hospital, is another member of BoG. He is technically sound and knows how to execute the PTI’s reforms agenda, but requires full-scale support.
With regard to MTR implementation, Khyber Teaching Hospital and Hayatabad Medical Complex Peshawar and Ayub Teaching Hospital (ATH) Abbottabad, the other three hospitals where the PTI wants to put in place a totally new system, are no different.
Only LRH has selected hospital director and is near to appoint medical director.
Dr Faisal Sultan, the chief executive of Shaukat Khnam Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, is heading the BoG KTH while his colleague Dr Asim Yousaf is responsible for enforcement of MTI at Ayub Teaching Hospital, but the progress is unsatisfactory given their reputations of the medical arena.
The BoGs desperately want to purchase equipments, medicines and make new appointments to take first step towards implementation of the law but they face bureaucratic hurdles.
The government made 13 amendments to the MTI on Thursday to allay fear of the employees that their services were being privatised. The law gives them option to do the institution-based practice in the hospitals or outside.
A similar attempt by the then government in 2002 forced the doctors to start IBP only in hospitals and banned them from running clinics outside but this law is more flexible. The law ensures that all the employees would get post-retirement benefits like other civil servants.
Health department’s inability to face cases in courts filed against the new law signals a visible lack of coordination between department and BoG members.
Appointment of interim medical and hospital directors from those, who already worked on such positions at those hospitals soon after the MTR’s implementation, proved useless. They could have started evening OPDs and new timing schedule but being associated with the old system, they are at ease in status quo.
MTI implementation is much easier now if the health department places its wisdom and strengthens BoGs because the law has now been changed in line with the employees’ aspirations but government role is of paramount importance to prove Imran Khan true, who has promised an effective system in one year.
Published in Dawn, August 21st, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1201849/enforcement-of-new-health-law-in-limbo
[h=1]NAB arrests five for forest funds embezzlement
[/h]PESHAWAR: The National Accountability Bureau, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, has arrested five persons, including a newly-elected member of Chitral district council and a former divisional forest officer, on the charges of embezzling Rs76 million forest funds of the royalty-holders in Chitral.
The arrested suspects include the councillor-elect Prince Khalid Pervez, who is brother of MNA Prince Iftikharuddin; the then Chitral DFO Gulzarur Rehman who is now assistant professor at the Peshawar Forest College; and three private persons Noor Shahideen, Rehmat Karim, Malik Shaye.
The suspects were produced before an accountability judge, Tariq Yousafzai, on Thursday, which remanded them into the custody of NAB for 14 days. The judge directed that the suspects should be produced on Sept 3 again.
Prince Pervez is also the district president of All Pakistan Muslim League of retired Gen Pervez Musharraf and son of former federal minister Shehzada Mohiuddin.
The NAB stated that on the complaint of royalty-holders the bureau had initiated an inquiry in which it was revealed that as per policy of forest department, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the royalty should be distributed among the royalty-holders of the locality equally through the joint forest management committee.
It is alleged that the suspect, Noor Shahideen, had made a fake JFMC and fraudulently made himself its chairman through the connivance of other accused persons.
The suspects later embezzled Rs76 million through complex banking transactions and pocketed the same.
Published in Dawn, August 21st, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1201863/nab-arrests-five-for-forest-funds-embezzlement
[h=1]
[/h]
Syed Haider Imam
Chief Minister (5k+ posts)
Aug 22 2015
35 illegal shops demolished in Kohat
KOHAT: The district administration demolished 35 shops and a marriage hall during the ongoing anti-encroachment drive on Rawalpindi road here on Friday.
The operation was led by deputy commissioner Kamran Afridi. He was accompanied by assistant commissioner Ali Asghar and a contingent of police that also resorted to baton charge of the protesting shopkeepers. Heavy machinery was used in the operation to bring down shops constructed on the state land.
All Petrol Pump Owners Association, meanwhile, held a press conference following the decision of the administration to uproot a CNG station.
Mr Asghar told Dawn that all the shops and a CNG station were demolished because they had been constructed on a nullah which was a property of the district government.
Several people were also injured during the baton charge, as the staff of tehsil municipal administration threw out groceries from the shops. The affected people had not vacated the shops despite prior notices.
KILLED: Two people were killed and 12 others, including students of the Kohat University of Science and Technology, injured in a head on collision between a trailer and coaster on the Indus highway here on Friday.
An employee of the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Kohat, Javed Iqbal, and Kamran Khan, a resident of Sarai Naurang, died on the spot. The injured were taken to the combined military hospital and KDA divisional headquarter hospital where condition of some of the injured was said to critical.
Sources said that condition of two students Farmanullah and Zaheer and that of Waseemullah, Luqman and Asif was serious.
The police said that the accident occurred due to speeding in which Lakki Marwat-bound coaster and an incoming trailer hit each other. Driver of the coaster was also injured in the accident.
Published in Dawn, August 22nd, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1202111/35-illegal-shops-demolished-in-kohat
Encroachments removed in Timergara
TIMERGARA: The local administration on Friday began a crackdown on illegal transport stands and roadside encroachments in Timergara city.
Assistant commissioner Ayaz Mohmand and additional assistant commissioner Shah Jamil Khan led the crackdown during which illegal transport stands, kiosks, cabins and other roadside encroachments in different markets were pulled down.
The two warned shopkeepers and transporters of strict action in case of encroachments in future.
The police and Dir Levies personnel accompanied the TMA officials during the action.
Meanwhile, the Helping Hand for Relief and Development, a nongovernmental organisation, on Friday arranged a colourful Independence Day function for the children with disability at a local hotel.
HHRD head Amjad Aftab, Jamaat-i-Islami leader Izazul Mulk Afkari, district executive officer (social welfare) Mohammad Zeb Khan, candidate for Timergara tehsil nazim’s office Muhammad
Riaz, Helping Hands representative Bilal Khan and parents of the children with disability attended the function.
The children sang national songs, delivered speeches, performed tableaus and recited naat.
HHRD head Amjad Aftab urged people to stay in contact with humanitarian organisations for the education, healthcare and rehabilitation of the children with disability.
He said his organisation had set up a physiotherapy centre for 200 children with disability in Lower Dir.
Amjad Aftab lauded the role of overseas Pakistanis for supporting HHRD efforts for the welfare of poor children with disability.
Later, schoolbags, notebooks and trophies were distributed to 45 children present on the occasion.— Correspondent
Published in Dawn, August 22nd, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1202112/encroachments-removed-in-timergara
KP govt’s power generation funds invested in stock exchange: PML-N
PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz on Friday alleged that certain Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf leaders had illegally invested millions of rupees from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s Rs25 billion hydel power funds in stock market to benefit some rich businesspeople from outside the province.
They, however, didn’t name names and asked the media to dig out them.
The allegation was part of the charge sheet issued by PML-N MNA Daniyal Aziz during a news conference here, where party parliamentarians Tariq Fazal Chaudhry and Maiza Hameed were also in attendance.
Daniyal said the PTI had raised the slogan of creating ‘Naya Pakistan’ but had miserably failed to improve socioeconomic conditions in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and even in Peshawar.
He said Rs25 billion was allocated for completion of several hydel power projects in the province but millions of rupees from it were squandered by investing in the stock market to benefit rich businesspeople, including some PTI leaders interfering in the affairs of the provincial government.
The MNA claimed such PTI leaders were involved in the illegal activity but refused to disclose their names saying journalists should discover them themselves.
MNA Daniyal Aziz insists move meant to benefit some businessmen, including PTI leaders
About the loadshedding crisis, he said hydel power was the best possible solution to power outages in the country and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was the province with the most potential for hydel power but the provincial government failed to execute its plans for the purpose.
Sharing some documents with journalists, he said 3260.4 megawatts hydel power projects were planned but the provincial government didn’t execute them due to corruption and mismanagement.
Daniyal said the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government had planned to generate 3260.4 megawatt power but only 687.4 of it had been mentioned in documents, while the rest had disappeared.
He said of the 687.4MW still mentioned in papers, 426MW was ‘under consideration’ leaving only 261.4MW behind actually being generated.
“After spending two and a half years in office, the PTI government is tendering projects for 52.8MW,” he said, adding that completion of 2.6MW Machai and 17MW Ranolai projects faced long delays.
The PML-N MNA said the money of such hydel power projects had fallen victim to corruption and mismanagement.
He said the projects, which didn’t exist in official documents anymore, included those for 1648MW in Chitral, 207MW in Dir, 14MW in Shangla, 10MW in Batagram, 595MW in Mansehra, 81MW in Malakand and 18MW in Swabi.
Daniyal said the provincial government should make public the ‘complete information’ about power generation plans and the details of funds withdrawn for Matiltanadn Lawai power projects.
He claimed the provincial government had illegally used billions of rupees meant for power generation for other purposes.
The PML-N MNA said the average cost of one megawatt electricity in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was $2.6 million in 2013-14 though the international price for it was $1.4-$1.59.
He said use of hydel funds should be investigated and audited so that the people could know the ‘reality of the honesty’ of the provincial government.
Daniyal Aziz claimed details of audited accounts from 1992 to 2014 were unavailable.
He said the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa people could not be fooled by the hollow slogans of ‘change’ and ‘Naya Pakistan’ as they had seen dilapidated roads and streets and poor performance of the government in the province.
The PML-N MNA, however, failed to answer the queries about the federal government’s proposed mega projects for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, change in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, and payment of the net hydel power profit arrears to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
He said the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government was trying to show its performance through large-size advertisements in the media but the decision of judicial commission on the 2013 elections had caused an irreparable damage to its position.
On the occasion, MNA Tariq Fazal Chaudhry alleged that the PTI government was favouring its own people in violation of merit.
He said massive corruption had been reported in forest harvesting, land allotment and other affairs in the province.
Published in Dawn, August 22nd, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1202118/kp-govts-power-generation-funds-invested-in-stock-exchange-pml-n
PML-N charge sheet concocted: PTI govt
PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa information minister Mushtaq Ghani on Friday said the allegations of PML-N leaders against the provincial government were baseless and concocted.
In a reaction to a news conference of PML-N parliamentarians, Ghani said he rejected the charge sheet against the provincial government as incorrect facts and figures were provided to the media.
“The PML-N leaders could seek the relevant details under the Right to Information Act instead of providing concocted and exaggerated information to the media,” he said accusing centre of usurping constitutional rights of his province.
The minister said the federal government followed the policy of keeping the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa dependent on Punjab.
Earlier during a news conference, PML-N parliamentarian Daniyal Aziz had presented a charge sheet against the PTI-led government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa alleging it had wasted huge funds by using them in stock market to benefit rich businesspeople.
The minister said the private sector would invest in hydel sector in the province, while the feasibility studies of 18 power generation projects would be completed in next October.
He said the projects would generate 2,327 megawatts electricity with the provincial government spending not a single penny on them.
Ghani said the Asian Development Bank would finance the production of one megawatt electricity in Punjab at $5.4 million, while the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government would generate the same at less than $3 million. He said the provincial government would invest Rs65 billion in five hydel power projects, which were to generate 216MW.
The minister said the federal government didn’t execute work on mega projects, including Munda dam, which would generate 740MW electricity; production of electricity through gas in Kohat, and construction of Chashma Right Bank Uplift Canal, which would irrigate over 300,000 hectare of lands in southern districts of the province.— Bureau Report
Published in Dawn, August 22nd, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1202116/pml-n-charge-sheet-concocted-pti-govt
35 illegal shops demolished in Kohat
KOHAT: The district administration demolished 35 shops and a marriage hall during the ongoing anti-encroachment drive on Rawalpindi road here on Friday.
The operation was led by deputy commissioner Kamran Afridi. He was accompanied by assistant commissioner Ali Asghar and a contingent of police that also resorted to baton charge of the protesting shopkeepers. Heavy machinery was used in the operation to bring down shops constructed on the state land.
All Petrol Pump Owners Association, meanwhile, held a press conference following the decision of the administration to uproot a CNG station.
Mr Asghar told Dawn that all the shops and a CNG station were demolished because they had been constructed on a nullah which was a property of the district government.
Several people were also injured during the baton charge, as the staff of tehsil municipal administration threw out groceries from the shops. The affected people had not vacated the shops despite prior notices.
KILLED: Two people were killed and 12 others, including students of the Kohat University of Science and Technology, injured in a head on collision between a trailer and coaster on the Indus highway here on Friday.
An employee of the Board of Intermediate and Secondary Education, Kohat, Javed Iqbal, and Kamran Khan, a resident of Sarai Naurang, died on the spot. The injured were taken to the combined military hospital and KDA divisional headquarter hospital where condition of some of the injured was said to critical.
Sources said that condition of two students Farmanullah and Zaheer and that of Waseemullah, Luqman and Asif was serious.
The police said that the accident occurred due to speeding in which Lakki Marwat-bound coaster and an incoming trailer hit each other. Driver of the coaster was also injured in the accident.
Published in Dawn, August 22nd, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1202111/35-illegal-shops-demolished-in-kohat
Encroachments removed in Timergara
TIMERGARA: The local administration on Friday began a crackdown on illegal transport stands and roadside encroachments in Timergara city.
Assistant commissioner Ayaz Mohmand and additional assistant commissioner Shah Jamil Khan led the crackdown during which illegal transport stands, kiosks, cabins and other roadside encroachments in different markets were pulled down.
The two warned shopkeepers and transporters of strict action in case of encroachments in future.
The police and Dir Levies personnel accompanied the TMA officials during the action.
Meanwhile, the Helping Hand for Relief and Development, a nongovernmental organisation, on Friday arranged a colourful Independence Day function for the children with disability at a local hotel.
HHRD head Amjad Aftab, Jamaat-i-Islami leader Izazul Mulk Afkari, district executive officer (social welfare) Mohammad Zeb Khan, candidate for Timergara tehsil nazim’s office Muhammad
Riaz, Helping Hands representative Bilal Khan and parents of the children with disability attended the function.
The children sang national songs, delivered speeches, performed tableaus and recited naat.
HHRD head Amjad Aftab urged people to stay in contact with humanitarian organisations for the education, healthcare and rehabilitation of the children with disability.
He said his organisation had set up a physiotherapy centre for 200 children with disability in Lower Dir.
Amjad Aftab lauded the role of overseas Pakistanis for supporting HHRD efforts for the welfare of poor children with disability.
Later, schoolbags, notebooks and trophies were distributed to 45 children present on the occasion.— Correspondent
Published in Dawn, August 22nd, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1202112/encroachments-removed-in-timergara
KP govt’s power generation funds invested in stock exchange: PML-N
PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz on Friday alleged that certain Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf leaders had illegally invested millions of rupees from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government’s Rs25 billion hydel power funds in stock market to benefit some rich businesspeople from outside the province.
They, however, didn’t name names and asked the media to dig out them.
The allegation was part of the charge sheet issued by PML-N MNA Daniyal Aziz during a news conference here, where party parliamentarians Tariq Fazal Chaudhry and Maiza Hameed were also in attendance.
Daniyal said the PTI had raised the slogan of creating ‘Naya Pakistan’ but had miserably failed to improve socioeconomic conditions in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and even in Peshawar.
He said Rs25 billion was allocated for completion of several hydel power projects in the province but millions of rupees from it were squandered by investing in the stock market to benefit rich businesspeople, including some PTI leaders interfering in the affairs of the provincial government.
The MNA claimed such PTI leaders were involved in the illegal activity but refused to disclose their names saying journalists should discover them themselves.
MNA Daniyal Aziz insists move meant to benefit some businessmen, including PTI leaders
About the loadshedding crisis, he said hydel power was the best possible solution to power outages in the country and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was the province with the most potential for hydel power but the provincial government failed to execute its plans for the purpose.
Sharing some documents with journalists, he said 3260.4 megawatts hydel power projects were planned but the provincial government didn’t execute them due to corruption and mismanagement.
Daniyal said the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government had planned to generate 3260.4 megawatt power but only 687.4 of it had been mentioned in documents, while the rest had disappeared.
He said of the 687.4MW still mentioned in papers, 426MW was ‘under consideration’ leaving only 261.4MW behind actually being generated.
“After spending two and a half years in office, the PTI government is tendering projects for 52.8MW,” he said, adding that completion of 2.6MW Machai and 17MW Ranolai projects faced long delays.
The PML-N MNA said the money of such hydel power projects had fallen victim to corruption and mismanagement.
He said the projects, which didn’t exist in official documents anymore, included those for 1648MW in Chitral, 207MW in Dir, 14MW in Shangla, 10MW in Batagram, 595MW in Mansehra, 81MW in Malakand and 18MW in Swabi.
Daniyal said the provincial government should make public the ‘complete information’ about power generation plans and the details of funds withdrawn for Matiltanadn Lawai power projects.
He claimed the provincial government had illegally used billions of rupees meant for power generation for other purposes.
The PML-N MNA said the average cost of one megawatt electricity in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was $2.6 million in 2013-14 though the international price for it was $1.4-$1.59.
He said use of hydel funds should be investigated and audited so that the people could know the ‘reality of the honesty’ of the provincial government.
Daniyal Aziz claimed details of audited accounts from 1992 to 2014 were unavailable.
He said the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa people could not be fooled by the hollow slogans of ‘change’ and ‘Naya Pakistan’ as they had seen dilapidated roads and streets and poor performance of the government in the province.
The PML-N MNA, however, failed to answer the queries about the federal government’s proposed mega projects for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, change in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, and payment of the net hydel power profit arrears to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
He said the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government was trying to show its performance through large-size advertisements in the media but the decision of judicial commission on the 2013 elections had caused an irreparable damage to its position.
On the occasion, MNA Tariq Fazal Chaudhry alleged that the PTI government was favouring its own people in violation of merit.
He said massive corruption had been reported in forest harvesting, land allotment and other affairs in the province.
Published in Dawn, August 22nd, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1202118/kp-govts-power-generation-funds-invested-in-stock-exchange-pml-n
PML-N charge sheet concocted: PTI govt
PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa information minister Mushtaq Ghani on Friday said the allegations of PML-N leaders against the provincial government were baseless and concocted.
In a reaction to a news conference of PML-N parliamentarians, Ghani said he rejected the charge sheet against the provincial government as incorrect facts and figures were provided to the media.
“The PML-N leaders could seek the relevant details under the Right to Information Act instead of providing concocted and exaggerated information to the media,” he said accusing centre of usurping constitutional rights of his province.
The minister said the federal government followed the policy of keeping the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa dependent on Punjab.
Earlier during a news conference, PML-N parliamentarian Daniyal Aziz had presented a charge sheet against the PTI-led government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa alleging it had wasted huge funds by using them in stock market to benefit rich businesspeople.
The minister said the private sector would invest in hydel sector in the province, while the feasibility studies of 18 power generation projects would be completed in next October.
He said the projects would generate 2,327 megawatts electricity with the provincial government spending not a single penny on them.
Ghani said the Asian Development Bank would finance the production of one megawatt electricity in Punjab at $5.4 million, while the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government would generate the same at less than $3 million. He said the provincial government would invest Rs65 billion in five hydel power projects, which were to generate 216MW.
The minister said the federal government didn’t execute work on mega projects, including Munda dam, which would generate 740MW electricity; production of electricity through gas in Kohat, and construction of Chashma Right Bank Uplift Canal, which would irrigate over 300,000 hectare of lands in southern districts of the province.— Bureau Report
Published in Dawn, August 22nd, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1202116/pml-n-charge-sheet-concocted-pti-govt
Last edited:
Syed Haider Imam
Chief Minister (5k+ posts)
Aug 23 2015
[h=1]‘High profile terrorist’ held in Swat
[/h]MINGORA: Swat police claimed on Saturday to have arrested a high profile terrorist in Matta tehsil.
According to Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD), Mian Syed, a resident of Bara Bamakhela area in Matta tehsil, was arrested on a tip-off. He was wanted by law enforcement agencies in several terrorist activities in Swat.
“Mian Syed was one of the terrorists, who were involved in the slaughtering incident of a Class-IV employee identified as Iqbal in Matta police station in 2009,” said an official of Counter Terrorism Department.
The arrested person was shifted to an unidentified location for investigation.
Meanwhile, the bullet riddled body of a young man was found at Asharo Pezo area of Charbagh tehsil. The deceased was identified as Adnan Khan, a resident of Cham area in Charbagh tehsil.
Police shifted the body to a hospital for postmortem and started investigation. According to police sources, a pistol was also found near the body.
Published in Dawn, August 23rd, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1202298/high-profile-terrorist-held-in-swat
[h=1]Clampdown on encroachments begins in Kaghan
[/h]MANSEHRA: The district administration on Saturday began an anti- encroachment operation in Kaghan.
The operation was launched on the Balakot-Naran section of Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad Road.
“After the expiry of the notices served for voluntary removal of encroachments, we’ve begun operation against illegal structures in an attempt to restore Kaghan valley’s natural beauty,” deputy commissioner Aamir Khattak told reporters here.
Khattak led the crackdown, which is being carried out by the joint teams of National Highway Authority, Balakot Tehsil Municipal Administration and police.
During the action, many shops and hotels on Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad Road in Kaghan were pulled down with the help of heavy machinery.
The encroachers didn’t offer resistance. The anti-encroachment crackdown will continue for few days.
Khattak said 135 shops, hotels and other structures on Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad Road had been declared encroachments for being on the right of way.
“It is good to see the people voluntarily destroy encroachments,” he said.
The deputy commissioner said the operation would cover Saiful Muluk Lake Road, Mahandri and Battakundi areas too.
He said on the completion of anti-encroachment operation, both locals and visitors would find enough space on the roadside to park vehicles.
“The flow of traffic remained good during the current tourism season though the Balakot-Naran section of Kaghan roads remained chocked in previous years,” he said.
Khattak said the second phase of anti-encroachment operation would begin soon to remove garbage from Naran, Kaghan and Saiful Muluk lake areas.
He said the administration’s crackdown on encroachments was meant to restore natural beauty of the valley, which was no less than paradise on Earth.
Published in Dawn, August 23rd, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1202294/clampdown-on-encroachments-begins-in-kaghan
[h=1]‘High profile terrorist’ held in Swat
[/h]MINGORA: Swat police claimed on Saturday to have arrested a high profile terrorist in Matta tehsil.
According to Counter-Terrorism Department (CTD), Mian Syed, a resident of Bara Bamakhela area in Matta tehsil, was arrested on a tip-off. He was wanted by law enforcement agencies in several terrorist activities in Swat.
“Mian Syed was one of the terrorists, who were involved in the slaughtering incident of a Class-IV employee identified as Iqbal in Matta police station in 2009,” said an official of Counter Terrorism Department.
The arrested person was shifted to an unidentified location for investigation.
Meanwhile, the bullet riddled body of a young man was found at Asharo Pezo area of Charbagh tehsil. The deceased was identified as Adnan Khan, a resident of Cham area in Charbagh tehsil.
Police shifted the body to a hospital for postmortem and started investigation. According to police sources, a pistol was also found near the body.
Published in Dawn, August 23rd, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1202298/high-profile-terrorist-held-in-swat
[h=1]Clampdown on encroachments begins in Kaghan
[/h]MANSEHRA: The district administration on Saturday began an anti- encroachment operation in Kaghan.
The operation was launched on the Balakot-Naran section of Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad Road.
“After the expiry of the notices served for voluntary removal of encroachments, we’ve begun operation against illegal structures in an attempt to restore Kaghan valley’s natural beauty,” deputy commissioner Aamir Khattak told reporters here.
Khattak led the crackdown, which is being carried out by the joint teams of National Highway Authority, Balakot Tehsil Municipal Administration and police.
During the action, many shops and hotels on Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad Road in Kaghan were pulled down with the help of heavy machinery.
The encroachers didn’t offer resistance. The anti-encroachment crackdown will continue for few days.
Khattak said 135 shops, hotels and other structures on Mansehra-Naran-Jalkhad Road had been declared encroachments for being on the right of way.
“It is good to see the people voluntarily destroy encroachments,” he said.
The deputy commissioner said the operation would cover Saiful Muluk Lake Road, Mahandri and Battakundi areas too.
He said on the completion of anti-encroachment operation, both locals and visitors would find enough space on the roadside to park vehicles.
“The flow of traffic remained good during the current tourism season though the Balakot-Naran section of Kaghan roads remained chocked in previous years,” he said.
Khattak said the second phase of anti-encroachment operation would begin soon to remove garbage from Naran, Kaghan and Saiful Muluk lake areas.
He said the administration’s crackdown on encroachments was meant to restore natural beauty of the valley, which was no less than paradise on Earth.
Published in Dawn, August 23rd, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1202294/clampdown-on-encroachments-begins-in-kaghan
Syed Haider Imam
Chief Minister (5k+ posts)
Aug 24 2015
Imran to pick PTI candidate for Mardan nazim slot
MARDAN: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chairman Imran Khan has interviewed three district councillors of his party so as to select one of them for the slot of Mardan district nazim, party sources said.
They said that the party had secured 46 of the total 112 seats of the district council of Mardan city in the recent local government elections. They said that seven of 46 members of the PTI had applied for the slot of district nazim. And those who had applied for the said slot included Mohammad Shahid Bacha, Umar Farooq Kaka Kheil, Abdus Sattar, Arshid Khan, Aurangzeb Khan, Shahid Siraj and Dad Khan.
However, they said that three candidates, including Mohammad Shahid Bacha, Umar Farooq Kakakhel and Abdus Sattar were interviewed by the PTI chairman in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa House, Islamabad, on Friday night after short-listing of the applicants by the relevant authorities of PTI.
Among the interviewed district council members, Shahid Bacha had obtained 2,146 votes in elections in Mardan rural union council, Abdus Sattar 2,000 votes in the Mohib Banda union council and Mr Kakakhel was elected on the PTI ticket on the reserved seat.
However, some insiders in PTI claim that Mr Bacha is a strong candidate for the slot of district nazim. They said that Mr Bacha had secured more votes than the other two rival candidates. The PTI claims to have 63 of the total 112 seats in the district council, Mardan, after joining hands with Pakistan Peoples Party and Jamaat-i-Islam.
Published in Dawn, August 24th, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1202457/imran-to-pick-pti-candidate-for-mardan-nazim-slot
PTI faces challenge from own MPA in Kohat nazim poll
KOHAT: Despite recommendation of five candidates to be interviewed by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chairman Imran Khan for the post of district nazim the inflexible Azeem Bagh group, led by the same party’s MPA Amjid Afridi, is taking along another alliance independently, according to sources.
They said that Mr Afridi, who is advisor to the chief minister, was adamant to bring PML-N into power with his son Babar Azeem as district nazim, in violation of his PTI’s decision and discipline.
They sources claimed that the MPA was doing all this at the behest of his elder brother, Abbas Afridi, who had recently retired as senator and minister for textile, and was considered an important member in PML-N. They said Mr Amjid had decided to support formation of the PML-N-led district government though the party had got only two seats in the local government elections.
Meanwhile, sources said that JUI-F had eight seats in the district council and its leader Gohar Saiullah was also struggling to dominate the local government according to the instructions of party chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman. He is also striving to win for his brother, Johar Saifullah, the seat of district nazim.
The JUI-F is aware of the fact that nobody could establish their government without its support.
The sources said that presently PTI had 22 seats, Afridi group 18 and JUI-F eight seats. They said that each of the PTI and Afridi group were making strenuous efforts to somehow gain the support of the JUI-F and form the government.
They said that the five names finalised by the PTI chairman for interviews and nomination of one of them for district nazim included Sajid Iqbal, Dilbar Khan, Naseem Afridi, Waheed Hayat and Ms Fareeda Qureshi advocate. They said that JUI-F could support PTI if Dilbar Khan was finalised for the coveted seat.
Interestingly, the JUI-F secretary general Jameel Paracha is siding with Azeem Bagh group in violation of the party decision. The re-polling at the Urban-6 constituency is still pending and the date for new elections has not been announced as yet. However, its result would have no impact on the election of district nazim.
Published in Dawn, August 24th, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1202458/pti-faces-challenge-from-own-mpa-in-kohat-nazim-poll
Japanese tourists to visit sites in KP
PESHAWAR: After a successful visit of Japanese tourists to Chitral, the Tourism Corporation Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (TCKP) has said that concerted efforts are being made to lure more international tourists to the province.
In a statement on Sunday, TCKP managing director Mushtaq Ahmad Khan said that after the recent tour of Japanese tourists to Broghul and other scenic spots in Chitral another group of tourists was coming to visit the serene valleys of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
“The TCKP and the Saiyah Travels arranged a 10-day tour for a nine-member group of the Japanese tourists to enjoy Broghul festival in Chitral. The tourists praised the steps taken for the restoration of peace and promotion of tourism in the province,” he said.
Mr Khan said that the Japanese tourists dispelled the so-called negative impression associated with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and its people. He said that another group of tourists from Japan was arriving to visit the scenic sites in KP.
He said that TCKP would plan more such tours to attract the international tourists. He said that a team of nine-member Japanese tourists, headed by Chika Murata, visited the province last week. The tourists included five women and four men, who vowed to promote the Broghul and other scenic sites that they had visited with their friends and families.
The official said that Chika Murata had observed that they found the people fun-loving, hospitable and generous. The tourists flew from Tokyo to Islamabad and then travelled to Naran, Gupis, Mastuj, Lusht, Kishmanja, Paur village, salt mines and Chitral city, where they also set up camps and spent nights.
Last year, a Japanese team of tourists had visited Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to attend the Broghul festival, which was sponsored by TCKP.
Published in Dawn, August 24th, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1202469/japanese-tourists-to-visit-sites-in-kp
Imran to pick PTI candidate for Mardan nazim slot
MARDAN: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chairman Imran Khan has interviewed three district councillors of his party so as to select one of them for the slot of Mardan district nazim, party sources said.
They said that the party had secured 46 of the total 112 seats of the district council of Mardan city in the recent local government elections. They said that seven of 46 members of the PTI had applied for the slot of district nazim. And those who had applied for the said slot included Mohammad Shahid Bacha, Umar Farooq Kaka Kheil, Abdus Sattar, Arshid Khan, Aurangzeb Khan, Shahid Siraj and Dad Khan.
However, they said that three candidates, including Mohammad Shahid Bacha, Umar Farooq Kakakhel and Abdus Sattar were interviewed by the PTI chairman in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa House, Islamabad, on Friday night after short-listing of the applicants by the relevant authorities of PTI.
Among the interviewed district council members, Shahid Bacha had obtained 2,146 votes in elections in Mardan rural union council, Abdus Sattar 2,000 votes in the Mohib Banda union council and Mr Kakakhel was elected on the PTI ticket on the reserved seat.
However, some insiders in PTI claim that Mr Bacha is a strong candidate for the slot of district nazim. They said that Mr Bacha had secured more votes than the other two rival candidates. The PTI claims to have 63 of the total 112 seats in the district council, Mardan, after joining hands with Pakistan Peoples Party and Jamaat-i-Islam.
Published in Dawn, August 24th, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1202457/imran-to-pick-pti-candidate-for-mardan-nazim-slot
PTI faces challenge from own MPA in Kohat nazim poll
KOHAT: Despite recommendation of five candidates to be interviewed by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chairman Imran Khan for the post of district nazim the inflexible Azeem Bagh group, led by the same party’s MPA Amjid Afridi, is taking along another alliance independently, according to sources.
They said that Mr Afridi, who is advisor to the chief minister, was adamant to bring PML-N into power with his son Babar Azeem as district nazim, in violation of his PTI’s decision and discipline.
They sources claimed that the MPA was doing all this at the behest of his elder brother, Abbas Afridi, who had recently retired as senator and minister for textile, and was considered an important member in PML-N. They said Mr Amjid had decided to support formation of the PML-N-led district government though the party had got only two seats in the local government elections.
Meanwhile, sources said that JUI-F had eight seats in the district council and its leader Gohar Saiullah was also struggling to dominate the local government according to the instructions of party chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman. He is also striving to win for his brother, Johar Saifullah, the seat of district nazim.
The JUI-F is aware of the fact that nobody could establish their government without its support.
The sources said that presently PTI had 22 seats, Afridi group 18 and JUI-F eight seats. They said that each of the PTI and Afridi group were making strenuous efforts to somehow gain the support of the JUI-F and form the government.
They said that the five names finalised by the PTI chairman for interviews and nomination of one of them for district nazim included Sajid Iqbal, Dilbar Khan, Naseem Afridi, Waheed Hayat and Ms Fareeda Qureshi advocate. They said that JUI-F could support PTI if Dilbar Khan was finalised for the coveted seat.
Interestingly, the JUI-F secretary general Jameel Paracha is siding with Azeem Bagh group in violation of the party decision. The re-polling at the Urban-6 constituency is still pending and the date for new elections has not been announced as yet. However, its result would have no impact on the election of district nazim.
Published in Dawn, August 24th, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1202458/pti-faces-challenge-from-own-mpa-in-kohat-nazim-poll
Japanese tourists to visit sites in KP
PESHAWAR: After a successful visit of Japanese tourists to Chitral, the Tourism Corporation Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (TCKP) has said that concerted efforts are being made to lure more international tourists to the province.
In a statement on Sunday, TCKP managing director Mushtaq Ahmad Khan said that after the recent tour of Japanese tourists to Broghul and other scenic spots in Chitral another group of tourists was coming to visit the serene valleys of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
“The TCKP and the Saiyah Travels arranged a 10-day tour for a nine-member group of the Japanese tourists to enjoy Broghul festival in Chitral. The tourists praised the steps taken for the restoration of peace and promotion of tourism in the province,” he said.
Mr Khan said that the Japanese tourists dispelled the so-called negative impression associated with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and its people. He said that another group of tourists from Japan was arriving to visit the scenic sites in KP.
He said that TCKP would plan more such tours to attract the international tourists. He said that a team of nine-member Japanese tourists, headed by Chika Murata, visited the province last week. The tourists included five women and four men, who vowed to promote the Broghul and other scenic sites that they had visited with their friends and families.
The official said that Chika Murata had observed that they found the people fun-loving, hospitable and generous. The tourists flew from Tokyo to Islamabad and then travelled to Naran, Gupis, Mastuj, Lusht, Kishmanja, Paur village, salt mines and Chitral city, where they also set up camps and spent nights.
Last year, a Japanese team of tourists had visited Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to attend the Broghul festival, which was sponsored by TCKP.
Published in Dawn, August 24th, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1202469/japanese-tourists-to-visit-sites-in-kp
Last edited:
Syed Haider Imam
Chief Minister (5k+ posts)
Aug 25 2015
Govt approves expo centre for Peshawar
PESHAWAR: The federal government has approved to establish an expo centre in Peshawar with an estimated cost of Rs2.5 billion to facilitate the business community.
This was revealed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Fawad Ishaq while presiding over a meeting of the executive committee of the chamber in Natyaagali on Monday.
According to a statement, he said that the expo centre would be equipped with all latest facilities. The federal government, he said, allocated Rs500 million in the public sector development programme for the purpose.
The chamber president urged the government to initiate work on the expo centre at earliest as it was dire need of the business community. He said that it would help to boost exports to the Central Asian States from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and strengthen industrial and business activities in the province.
The Businessman Forum leader Senator Ilyas Bilour also expressed the hope that with establishment of the expo centre the exporters would have opportunities to introduce their products at the international level.
He said that it would also help to create job opportunities in the province. Appreciating Federal Minister for Finance Ishaq Dar, he said that the turn-over tax and income tax would help to strengthen the industries and commerce in the province.
The chamber’s budget for the year 2015-16 was present by chairman finance standing committee Eng Maqsood which was unanimously approved.
Published in Dawn, August 25th, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1202719/govt-approves-expo-centre-for-peshawar
Rs1770m allocated for renovation of hospitals in KP
ESHAWAR: The provincial government has allocated Rs1770 million for the renovation, beautification, repair and cleanliness of the four teaching hospitals of the province.
According to a statement, Rs300 million, Rs700 million, 400 million and Rs370 million have been allocated to Lady Reading Hospital (LRH), Khyber Teaching Hospital (KTH), Hayatabad Medical Complex (HMC) and Ayub Medical Complex (AMC) respectively.
In this connection a meeting was held with Health Minister Shahram Tarakai in the chair. The meeting was attended by special secretary health, additional secretary health, and dean of Postgraduate Medical Institute Peshawar, directors of LRH, HMC and KTH and other relevant quarters.
It was revealed in the meeting that out of the total allocated amount, Rs742.9 million had already been released to those hospitals for the current financial year.
The minister directed the quarters concerned to take all necessary steps to start work on renovation, beautification and cleanliness of those hospitals on war footings.
He said that cleanliness in health service delivery outlets was of prime importance which could not be compromised because hospital with dirty environment couldn’t cure diseases but spread diseases.
The meeting was informed that separate PC-1 for renovation and beautification of each hospital was being prepared.
Published in Dawn, August 25th, 2015
Crackdown begins on encroachments, illegal bus stations
TIMERGARA: The local administration on Monday launched a crackdown on the roadside encroachments and illegal bus stations in different parts of Lower Dir district.
In Chakdara, a team supervised by Adenzai assistant commissioner Zahid Pervez Warraich arrested five encroachers, dismantled illegal structures, cabins and kiosks, confiscated iron stairs and handcarts, and booked five transporters for illegal parking.
The assistant commissioner warned shopkeepers and transporters of strict legal actions in case of encroachments.
In Timergara, illegal roadside structures were removed from different markets.
The action was supervised by assistant commissioner Ayaz Mohmand.
The assistant commissioner said the operation would continue until roads and markets were freed from encroachments.
He said the administration was committed to ensure cleanliness of cities, especially bazaars and roads, in the district.
http://www.dawn.com/news/1202692/crackdown-begins-on-encroachments-illegal-bus-stations
Healthcare system administrative cadre fails to deliver
PESHAWAR: The administrative cadre created by the government to run the healthcare system in line with the national guidelines and international commitment has failed to bear fruit because of lack of knowledge, skills and attitude on the part of those, who hold administrative positions in health department, according to sources.
They said that provincial government introduced administrative cadre in health department in line with the centre’s draft health policy to appoint highly qualified people on important positions and streamline healthcare system.
According to them, the initiative meant that the doctors with master in public health (MPH) degrees would be appointed on the posts of directors, deputy directors, agency surgeons, district health officers, medical and deputy medical superintendents in hospitals to carry out financial, technical and clinical affairs and ensure uninterrupted health delivery.
Sources said that government had planned to hire the services of medical doctor with qualification in health administration so that they could make budget and other strategies according to laid down guidelines. “But they are still dependent on their clerical staff and superintendent for their work and the situation remains totally unchanged,” they said.
Sources say officials holding important positions lack knowledge and skills
Sources said that the officials, who had already been working on those posts, obtained degrees from the local private institutes and managed to continue with their positions when the government introduced management cadre.
Despite not being properly qualified, because the institutes from which they got degrees weren’t recognised by Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), they stuck with their posts and were still working while some of them retired, they added.
Sources said that launch of health management cadre didn’t make any difference as the administrators, who held positions, didn’t know much about the national and international commitments but they were accustomed to obeying their political masters.
“The people, who can design, plan, implement, and monitor the healthcare system, in an institute, in line with government’s guidelines, can deliver desired results due to their capabilities,” they said.
Sources said that non-availability of right people also kept away international donor agencies from giving assistance to the health system in most of the 26 districts because the aid-providers sought comprehensive plan for support in any area of healthcare which could be prepared by a trained person.
“For instance, a foreign country is ready to help the province or a district in strengthening its child health services or maternal health for which the requirement is preparation of good proposal to be able to qualify and receive grant,” they said.
They should know about the UN’s Social Development Goals and Millennium Development Goals and should have the ability to lead team and compile proposals to get technical or financial assistance from the donors.
A district health officer said that they knew about their job description but they had limitations and couldn’t exercise their powers in the presence of ministers and officers. Politicisation of the administration positions in health department was a big problem, he said.
The official said that district health system was dependent on the provincial government and they were required to seek approval for petty matters like repairs etc from the director-general health office, which hampered progress.
“Lately, the government has empowered the district governments to make purchases and procure medicines and equipments etc at their own but approval from the director-general office is still binding on them,” he said.
Published in Dawn, August 25th, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1202700/healthcare-system-administrative-cadre-fails-to-deliver
http://www.dawn.com/news/1202700/healthcare-system-administrative-cadre-fails-to-deliver
Lowari tunnel to be opened two days a week in winter
PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and National Highway Authority have decided that Lowari tunnel currently under construction will be open to traffic for two days a week during the upcoming winter.
The decision was made during a meeting chaired by provincial secretary for relief, rehabilitation and settlement department Tariq Rashid on August 21, said the minutes of the meeting available with Dawn.
According to the minutes, the meeting decided that Lowari tunnel would be kept open on every Tuesday and Friday in the winter to ensure the people of flood- affected district would not face shortage of basic consumer items.
Tariq Rashid highlighted the issue related to Lowari Tunnel Project as well as the sufferings of people seen during the last winter season.
He said the Upper Dir deputy commissioner had communicated that the NHA was going to start the lining of tunnel due to which facility of allowing civil traffic through tunnel from Dir to Chitral would not be available in the upcoming winter season and that such a scenario was likely to cause inconvenience to the people and might lead to food and fuel shortages in the district.
The Tunnel project director told the meeting that the date of the project’s completion was December 2016 and that the prime minister had issued directives for the completion of work within the stipulated time.
The minutes said that both the provincial government and NHA had agreed that the access to Lowari Tunnel would be ensured by the NHA for two days a week.
Also, both the sides agreed to ensure hazard-free access to the tunnel during two days and two kilometers access road on both sides of the tunnel to be constructed by the NHA.
The minutes said the NHA would also ensure the opening of the clearance of Lowari Top for both transportation of goods and general public.
According to them, apart from the light traffic vehicles, ‘smaller Shehzors’ will be allowed to pass through the tunnel.
Published in Dawn, August 25th, 2015
PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and National Highway Authority have decided that Lowari tunnel currently under construction will be open to traffic for two days a week during the upcoming winter.
The decision was made during a meeting chaired by provincial secretary for relief, rehabilitation and settlement department Tariq Rashid on August 21, said the minutes of the meeting available with Dawn.
According to the minutes, the meeting decided that Lowari tunnel would be kept open on every Tuesday and Friday in the winter to ensure the people of flood- affected district would not face shortage of basic consumer items.
Tariq Rashid highlighted the issue related to Lowari Tunnel Project as well as the sufferings of people seen during the last winter season.
He said the Upper Dir deputy commissioner had communicated that the NHA was going to start the lining of tunnel due to which facility of allowing civil traffic through tunnel from Dir to Chitral would not be available in the upcoming winter season and that such a scenario was likely to cause inconvenience to the people and might lead to food and fuel shortages in the district.
The Tunnel project director told the meeting that the date of the project’s completion was December 2016 and that the prime minister had issued directives for the completion of work within the stipulated time.
The minutes said that both the provincial government and NHA had agreed that the access to Lowari Tunnel would be ensured by the NHA for two days a week.
Also, both the sides agreed to ensure hazard-free access to the tunnel during two days and two kilometers access road on both sides of the tunnel to be constructed by the NHA.
The minutes said the NHA would also ensure the opening of the clearance of Lowari Top for both transportation of goods and general public.
According to them, apart from the light traffic vehicles, ‘smaller Shehzors’ will be allowed to pass through the tunnel.
Published in Dawn, August 25th, 2015
Terrorism bid foiled in Mardan
MARDAN: Police claimed here on Monday to have foiled a bid of terrorism in Sangi-Marmar village, located alongside the Mardan-Swabi road.
Police officials said that a police team rushed to the spot soon after getting information about the explosive devices planted beneath a bridge connecting both Mardan and Swabi roads.
They said that police official cordoned off the area and blocked the bridge to all kinds of traffic to avoid any untoward incident. The officials of bomb disposal squad were also called who defused the explosive devices, planted beneath the bridge, safely.
According to the officials, the devices weighed about 25 kilograms. The road was opened to traffic after the explosive devices were defused. Police registered a case against unidentified persons and started investigation in to the matter. Police also launched a search operation in the suspected areas to arrest perpetrators of the botched sabotage act.
Published in Dawn, August 25th, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1202713/terrorism-bid-foiled-in-mardan
KP sets up system to monitor working of district govts
PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has set up district performance monitoring framework (DPMF) to monitor functioning of district governments across the province, according to officials.
They said that the system, designed by reform cell at chief secretary office, would be fed with data from all 26 districts of the province on monthly basis to evaluate the performance of district administration by using more than 50 key performance indicators (KPI) in 11 sectors.
They said that data about deputy commissioner office, municipal service, anti-encroachment activities, polio eradication campaigns, health service, check on quacks and spurious drugs, schools, price control and check on CNG stations, petrol pumps, LPG dealers, factories and adulteration of food items would be fed to the system.
Dr Altamash Janjua, deputy coordinator (technical) at reforms cell of chief secretary office, told Dawn that the new system was aimed at increasing accountability of district administrators and improving government performance.
He said that usually chief secretary held meetings with deputy commissioners every month or two, however, introduction of the new system would replace the paperwork and help in keeping constant check on district administrators across the province.
“Non-performers would stand out in the system and transferred in case their performance does not improve over longer period,” said Dr Altamash.
He said that the system would force district government departments to provide basic facilities to the citizens besides enhancing accountability. “Not only chief secretary himself would be monitoring the working and performance of district administration, but at the same time public can also see the district administration performance,” he said, adding that it was aimed at introducing quantified performance management.
Dr Altamash said that the system would also have indicators for the devolved departments after the elected district nazims would take over. About data verification mechanism, he said that chief secretary inspection team would perform the duty.
Dr Altamash said that officials at all deputy commissioner offices across the province were designated to upload data to the system and also permanent body was likely to be set up to ensure continuity of the system.
Furrukh Atique, the principal staff officer to chief secretary and project head, told Dawn that the new system was tested for about eight months and it was made functional after thorough trials. He said that although the system was functioning, yet it would be formally launched soon.
Published in Dawn, August 25th, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1202723/kp-sets-up-system-to-monitor-working-of-district-govts
PHC orders release of Ziaullah Afridi on bail
PESHAWAR: A bench of the Peshawar High Court on Monday granted bail to provincial minister Ziaullah Afridi arrested by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ehtesab Commission (KPEC) on the charges of facilitating illegal mining and carrying out illegal appointments, transfers and postings.
Justice Mussarat Hilali and Justice Younas Taheem directed Ziaullah to furnish two surety bonds of Rs2 million each.
The bench pronounced the short order after hearing arguments of both the sides in a habeas corpus petition filed by Ziaullah’s brother, Hidayatullah Afridi, seeking the detainee’s release on different grounds.
Ziaullah Afridi, who was elected as an MPA of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf in the 2013 general elections from PK-1 Peshawar I, was arrested on July 9 by the KPEC on the charges of misuse of authority and corrupt practices.
Development comes after completion of minister’s 45-day remand in corruption case
He had denied the charges and claimed that Chief Minister Pervez Khattak had engineered his arrest through the commission.
Lawyers Abdul Lateef Afridi, Barrister Mudassir Amir, Ishtiaq Ibrahim and Moazam Butt represented Ziaullah Afridi in the court and argued their client was falsely implicated in the case on the basis of mala fide intent.
They argued that under the KPEC Act 2014, a suspect could be remanded to custody of the commission by the Ehtesab court for 45 days.
The lawyers said since his arrest, their client had been in custody of the commission and had completed 45 days.
They added that in the KPEC Act, there was no provision of judicial custody after completion of physical remand and on the said ground several other suspects had already been granted bail.
Ziaullah Afridi pointed out that in the grounds of arrest provided to his brother, the commission had clearly mentioned that he had failed to exercise his authority to prevent loss to the exchequer caused by illegal mining rather he had willfully facilitated the same for his personal gains.
He added that to frustrate the provision of law related to the maximum 45 days custody, the commission had tried to hoodwink the Ehtesab court by seeking his repeated physical custody after completion of the initial one on the pretext that he was booked in new cases, whereas in fact the charges pertained to the same case.
Ziaullah Afridi said first, the commission claimed he was arrested in illegal mining and later insisted he was involved in illegal mining in Nowshera but sought his custody by alleging that he was involved in illegal mining in Charssada and Abbottabad.
He asked whether the commission wanted to keep him in its custody for the entire life.
KPEC deputy prosecutor general Zahid Aman contended that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly had recently passed certain amendments to the KPEC Act through which the lacuna related to judicial custody had now been removed.
He said in the said amendments, it had now been provided that the Code of Criminal procedure would apply to the proceedings under this law.
Zahid Aman pointed out that physical custody of the suspect to the commission was granted by the Ehtesab court, which was a competent court under the law.
The petitioner’ lawyers argued that the amendments made to the law had yet to be notified as the relevant bill had not received assent of the governor.
They said the detainee had performed duties as minister for mineral development to the best of his abilities and that he got around 350 cases registered against the people involved in illegal mining.
Published in Dawn, August 25th, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1202725/phc-orders-release-of-ziaullah-afridi-on-bail
Govt approves expo centre for Peshawar
PESHAWAR: The federal government has approved to establish an expo centre in Peshawar with an estimated cost of Rs2.5 billion to facilitate the business community.
This was revealed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Fawad Ishaq while presiding over a meeting of the executive committee of the chamber in Natyaagali on Monday.
According to a statement, he said that the expo centre would be equipped with all latest facilities. The federal government, he said, allocated Rs500 million in the public sector development programme for the purpose.
The chamber president urged the government to initiate work on the expo centre at earliest as it was dire need of the business community. He said that it would help to boost exports to the Central Asian States from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and strengthen industrial and business activities in the province.
The Businessman Forum leader Senator Ilyas Bilour also expressed the hope that with establishment of the expo centre the exporters would have opportunities to introduce their products at the international level.
He said that it would also help to create job opportunities in the province. Appreciating Federal Minister for Finance Ishaq Dar, he said that the turn-over tax and income tax would help to strengthen the industries and commerce in the province.
The chamber’s budget for the year 2015-16 was present by chairman finance standing committee Eng Maqsood which was unanimously approved.
Published in Dawn, August 25th, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1202719/govt-approves-expo-centre-for-peshawar
Rs1770m allocated for renovation of hospitals in KP
ESHAWAR: The provincial government has allocated Rs1770 million for the renovation, beautification, repair and cleanliness of the four teaching hospitals of the province.
According to a statement, Rs300 million, Rs700 million, 400 million and Rs370 million have been allocated to Lady Reading Hospital (LRH), Khyber Teaching Hospital (KTH), Hayatabad Medical Complex (HMC) and Ayub Medical Complex (AMC) respectively.
In this connection a meeting was held with Health Minister Shahram Tarakai in the chair. The meeting was attended by special secretary health, additional secretary health, and dean of Postgraduate Medical Institute Peshawar, directors of LRH, HMC and KTH and other relevant quarters.
It was revealed in the meeting that out of the total allocated amount, Rs742.9 million had already been released to those hospitals for the current financial year.
The minister directed the quarters concerned to take all necessary steps to start work on renovation, beautification and cleanliness of those hospitals on war footings.
He said that cleanliness in health service delivery outlets was of prime importance which could not be compromised because hospital with dirty environment couldn’t cure diseases but spread diseases.
The meeting was informed that separate PC-1 for renovation and beautification of each hospital was being prepared.
Published in Dawn, August 25th, 2015
Crackdown begins on encroachments, illegal bus stations
TIMERGARA: The local administration on Monday launched a crackdown on the roadside encroachments and illegal bus stations in different parts of Lower Dir district.
In Chakdara, a team supervised by Adenzai assistant commissioner Zahid Pervez Warraich arrested five encroachers, dismantled illegal structures, cabins and kiosks, confiscated iron stairs and handcarts, and booked five transporters for illegal parking.
The assistant commissioner warned shopkeepers and transporters of strict legal actions in case of encroachments.
In Timergara, illegal roadside structures were removed from different markets.
The action was supervised by assistant commissioner Ayaz Mohmand.
The assistant commissioner said the operation would continue until roads and markets were freed from encroachments.
He said the administration was committed to ensure cleanliness of cities, especially bazaars and roads, in the district.
http://www.dawn.com/news/1202692/crackdown-begins-on-encroachments-illegal-bus-stations
Healthcare system administrative cadre fails to deliver
PESHAWAR: The administrative cadre created by the government to run the healthcare system in line with the national guidelines and international commitment has failed to bear fruit because of lack of knowledge, skills and attitude on the part of those, who hold administrative positions in health department, according to sources.
They said that provincial government introduced administrative cadre in health department in line with the centre’s draft health policy to appoint highly qualified people on important positions and streamline healthcare system.
According to them, the initiative meant that the doctors with master in public health (MPH) degrees would be appointed on the posts of directors, deputy directors, agency surgeons, district health officers, medical and deputy medical superintendents in hospitals to carry out financial, technical and clinical affairs and ensure uninterrupted health delivery.
Sources said that government had planned to hire the services of medical doctor with qualification in health administration so that they could make budget and other strategies according to laid down guidelines. “But they are still dependent on their clerical staff and superintendent for their work and the situation remains totally unchanged,” they said.
Sources say officials holding important positions lack knowledge and skills
Sources said that the officials, who had already been working on those posts, obtained degrees from the local private institutes and managed to continue with their positions when the government introduced management cadre.
Despite not being properly qualified, because the institutes from which they got degrees weren’t recognised by Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC), they stuck with their posts and were still working while some of them retired, they added.
Sources said that launch of health management cadre didn’t make any difference as the administrators, who held positions, didn’t know much about the national and international commitments but they were accustomed to obeying their political masters.
“The people, who can design, plan, implement, and monitor the healthcare system, in an institute, in line with government’s guidelines, can deliver desired results due to their capabilities,” they said.
Sources said that non-availability of right people also kept away international donor agencies from giving assistance to the health system in most of the 26 districts because the aid-providers sought comprehensive plan for support in any area of healthcare which could be prepared by a trained person.
“For instance, a foreign country is ready to help the province or a district in strengthening its child health services or maternal health for which the requirement is preparation of good proposal to be able to qualify and receive grant,” they said.
They should know about the UN’s Social Development Goals and Millennium Development Goals and should have the ability to lead team and compile proposals to get technical or financial assistance from the donors.
A district health officer said that they knew about their job description but they had limitations and couldn’t exercise their powers in the presence of ministers and officers. Politicisation of the administration positions in health department was a big problem, he said.
The official said that district health system was dependent on the provincial government and they were required to seek approval for petty matters like repairs etc from the director-general health office, which hampered progress.
“Lately, the government has empowered the district governments to make purchases and procure medicines and equipments etc at their own but approval from the director-general office is still binding on them,” he said.
Published in Dawn, August 25th, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1202700/healthcare-system-administrative-cadre-fails-to-deliver
http://www.dawn.com/news/1202700/healthcare-system-administrative-cadre-fails-to-deliver
Lowari tunnel to be opened two days a week in winter
PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and National Highway Authority have decided that Lowari tunnel currently under construction will be open to traffic for two days a week during the upcoming winter.
The decision was made during a meeting chaired by provincial secretary for relief, rehabilitation and settlement department Tariq Rashid on August 21, said the minutes of the meeting available with Dawn.
According to the minutes, the meeting decided that Lowari tunnel would be kept open on every Tuesday and Friday in the winter to ensure the people of flood- affected district would not face shortage of basic consumer items.
Tariq Rashid highlighted the issue related to Lowari Tunnel Project as well as the sufferings of people seen during the last winter season.
He said the Upper Dir deputy commissioner had communicated that the NHA was going to start the lining of tunnel due to which facility of allowing civil traffic through tunnel from Dir to Chitral would not be available in the upcoming winter season and that such a scenario was likely to cause inconvenience to the people and might lead to food and fuel shortages in the district.
The Tunnel project director told the meeting that the date of the project’s completion was December 2016 and that the prime minister had issued directives for the completion of work within the stipulated time.
The minutes said that both the provincial government and NHA had agreed that the access to Lowari Tunnel would be ensured by the NHA for two days a week.
Also, both the sides agreed to ensure hazard-free access to the tunnel during two days and two kilometers access road on both sides of the tunnel to be constructed by the NHA.
The minutes said the NHA would also ensure the opening of the clearance of Lowari Top for both transportation of goods and general public.
According to them, apart from the light traffic vehicles, ‘smaller Shehzors’ will be allowed to pass through the tunnel.
Published in Dawn, August 25th, 2015
PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and National Highway Authority have decided that Lowari tunnel currently under construction will be open to traffic for two days a week during the upcoming winter.
The decision was made during a meeting chaired by provincial secretary for relief, rehabilitation and settlement department Tariq Rashid on August 21, said the minutes of the meeting available with Dawn.
According to the minutes, the meeting decided that Lowari tunnel would be kept open on every Tuesday and Friday in the winter to ensure the people of flood- affected district would not face shortage of basic consumer items.
Tariq Rashid highlighted the issue related to Lowari Tunnel Project as well as the sufferings of people seen during the last winter season.
He said the Upper Dir deputy commissioner had communicated that the NHA was going to start the lining of tunnel due to which facility of allowing civil traffic through tunnel from Dir to Chitral would not be available in the upcoming winter season and that such a scenario was likely to cause inconvenience to the people and might lead to food and fuel shortages in the district.
The Tunnel project director told the meeting that the date of the project’s completion was December 2016 and that the prime minister had issued directives for the completion of work within the stipulated time.
The minutes said that both the provincial government and NHA had agreed that the access to Lowari Tunnel would be ensured by the NHA for two days a week.
Also, both the sides agreed to ensure hazard-free access to the tunnel during two days and two kilometers access road on both sides of the tunnel to be constructed by the NHA.
The minutes said the NHA would also ensure the opening of the clearance of Lowari Top for both transportation of goods and general public.
According to them, apart from the light traffic vehicles, ‘smaller Shehzors’ will be allowed to pass through the tunnel.
Published in Dawn, August 25th, 2015
Terrorism bid foiled in Mardan
MARDAN: Police claimed here on Monday to have foiled a bid of terrorism in Sangi-Marmar village, located alongside the Mardan-Swabi road.
Police officials said that a police team rushed to the spot soon after getting information about the explosive devices planted beneath a bridge connecting both Mardan and Swabi roads.
They said that police official cordoned off the area and blocked the bridge to all kinds of traffic to avoid any untoward incident. The officials of bomb disposal squad were also called who defused the explosive devices, planted beneath the bridge, safely.
According to the officials, the devices weighed about 25 kilograms. The road was opened to traffic after the explosive devices were defused. Police registered a case against unidentified persons and started investigation in to the matter. Police also launched a search operation in the suspected areas to arrest perpetrators of the botched sabotage act.
Published in Dawn, August 25th, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1202713/terrorism-bid-foiled-in-mardan
KP sets up system to monitor working of district govts
PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has set up district performance monitoring framework (DPMF) to monitor functioning of district governments across the province, according to officials.
They said that the system, designed by reform cell at chief secretary office, would be fed with data from all 26 districts of the province on monthly basis to evaluate the performance of district administration by using more than 50 key performance indicators (KPI) in 11 sectors.
They said that data about deputy commissioner office, municipal service, anti-encroachment activities, polio eradication campaigns, health service, check on quacks and spurious drugs, schools, price control and check on CNG stations, petrol pumps, LPG dealers, factories and adulteration of food items would be fed to the system.
Dr Altamash Janjua, deputy coordinator (technical) at reforms cell of chief secretary office, told Dawn that the new system was aimed at increasing accountability of district administrators and improving government performance.
He said that usually chief secretary held meetings with deputy commissioners every month or two, however, introduction of the new system would replace the paperwork and help in keeping constant check on district administrators across the province.
“Non-performers would stand out in the system and transferred in case their performance does not improve over longer period,” said Dr Altamash.
He said that the system would force district government departments to provide basic facilities to the citizens besides enhancing accountability. “Not only chief secretary himself would be monitoring the working and performance of district administration, but at the same time public can also see the district administration performance,” he said, adding that it was aimed at introducing quantified performance management.
Dr Altamash said that the system would also have indicators for the devolved departments after the elected district nazims would take over. About data verification mechanism, he said that chief secretary inspection team would perform the duty.
Dr Altamash said that officials at all deputy commissioner offices across the province were designated to upload data to the system and also permanent body was likely to be set up to ensure continuity of the system.
Furrukh Atique, the principal staff officer to chief secretary and project head, told Dawn that the new system was tested for about eight months and it was made functional after thorough trials. He said that although the system was functioning, yet it would be formally launched soon.
Published in Dawn, August 25th, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1202723/kp-sets-up-system-to-monitor-working-of-district-govts
PHC orders release of Ziaullah Afridi on bail
PESHAWAR: A bench of the Peshawar High Court on Monday granted bail to provincial minister Ziaullah Afridi arrested by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ehtesab Commission (KPEC) on the charges of facilitating illegal mining and carrying out illegal appointments, transfers and postings.
Justice Mussarat Hilali and Justice Younas Taheem directed Ziaullah to furnish two surety bonds of Rs2 million each.
The bench pronounced the short order after hearing arguments of both the sides in a habeas corpus petition filed by Ziaullah’s brother, Hidayatullah Afridi, seeking the detainee’s release on different grounds.
Ziaullah Afridi, who was elected as an MPA of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf in the 2013 general elections from PK-1 Peshawar I, was arrested on July 9 by the KPEC on the charges of misuse of authority and corrupt practices.
Development comes after completion of minister’s 45-day remand in corruption case
He had denied the charges and claimed that Chief Minister Pervez Khattak had engineered his arrest through the commission.
Lawyers Abdul Lateef Afridi, Barrister Mudassir Amir, Ishtiaq Ibrahim and Moazam Butt represented Ziaullah Afridi in the court and argued their client was falsely implicated in the case on the basis of mala fide intent.
They argued that under the KPEC Act 2014, a suspect could be remanded to custody of the commission by the Ehtesab court for 45 days.
The lawyers said since his arrest, their client had been in custody of the commission and had completed 45 days.
They added that in the KPEC Act, there was no provision of judicial custody after completion of physical remand and on the said ground several other suspects had already been granted bail.
Ziaullah Afridi pointed out that in the grounds of arrest provided to his brother, the commission had clearly mentioned that he had failed to exercise his authority to prevent loss to the exchequer caused by illegal mining rather he had willfully facilitated the same for his personal gains.
He added that to frustrate the provision of law related to the maximum 45 days custody, the commission had tried to hoodwink the Ehtesab court by seeking his repeated physical custody after completion of the initial one on the pretext that he was booked in new cases, whereas in fact the charges pertained to the same case.
Ziaullah Afridi said first, the commission claimed he was arrested in illegal mining and later insisted he was involved in illegal mining in Nowshera but sought his custody by alleging that he was involved in illegal mining in Charssada and Abbottabad.
He asked whether the commission wanted to keep him in its custody for the entire life.
KPEC deputy prosecutor general Zahid Aman contended that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly had recently passed certain amendments to the KPEC Act through which the lacuna related to judicial custody had now been removed.
He said in the said amendments, it had now been provided that the Code of Criminal procedure would apply to the proceedings under this law.
Zahid Aman pointed out that physical custody of the suspect to the commission was granted by the Ehtesab court, which was a competent court under the law.
The petitioner’ lawyers argued that the amendments made to the law had yet to be notified as the relevant bill had not received assent of the governor.
They said the detainee had performed duties as minister for mineral development to the best of his abilities and that he got around 350 cases registered against the people involved in illegal mining.
Published in Dawn, August 25th, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1202725/phc-orders-release-of-ziaullah-afridi-on-bail
Last edited:
Syed Haider Imam
Chief Minister (5k+ posts)
September 022015
Syed Haider Imam
Chief Minister (5k+ posts)
August 26 2015
Last edited:
Syed Haider Imam
Chief Minister (5k+ posts)
Aug 27 2015
Syed Haider Imam
Chief Minister (5k+ posts)
Aug 28 2015
Syed Haider Imam
Chief Minister (5k+ posts)
Aug 29 2015
Syed Haider Imam
Chief Minister (5k+ posts)
Aug 312015
[h=1]Ruling PTI gets nazim slots in nine districts of KP[/h]
PESHAWAR: The candidates of ruling PTI were elected nazims in nine districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, followed by four district nazims of its coalition partner Jamaat-i-Islami, as the process of local government elections completed on Sunday in the province.
PML-N secured three slots of nazims, whereas PPP, ANP and JUI-F got two posts of district nazims each in the province. PTI had absolute majority only in few districts where it did not require support of any other party, however, in most of the districts political parties had formed alliances with each other.
The candidates of PTI were elected district nazims in Peshawar, Charsadda, Nowshera, Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, Karak, Haripur, Battagram and Torghar.
The ruling party faced setback in Abbottabad where its dissident group emerged victorious against the party candidate with the support of PML-N.
[h=4]JI grabs four nazim seats, followed by PML-N with three, while PPP, ANP and JUI-F get two seats each[/h]
JI managed to secure berth of district nazim in Upper Dir, Lower Dir, Buner and Chitral. PML-N won the post of district nazim in Mansehra, Swat and Shangla. ANP emerged victorious in Swabi and Mardan whereas district nazim of PPP were elected in Malakand and Lakki Marwat. JUI-F won posts of district nazims in Hangu and Kohat.
In Peshawar, PTI candidates Mohammad Asim Khan and Syed Qasim Ali Shah were elected district nazim and as naib nazim respectively.
The tripartite alliance of ANP, PPP and JUI-F boycotted the election process for having some reservations at the schedule of the election.
With the election of nazim and nazib nazims of district, tehsil/town, village and neighbourhood councils, the process of the three-tier local government system took five months to complete. In the new local government system, over 40,000 people were elected for different tiers mostly to the village and neighbourhood councils.
PTI also won the slots of nazim and naib-nazim of three towns in Peshawar while PML-N candidate was elected nazim of Town-IV and JUI-F candidate got the slot of naib-nazim. The party-based elections were conducted through opened division.
Three candidates including Mohammad Asim Khan and Younas Zahir of PTI and Raham Dil Nawaz of PML-N were in the run for Peshawar district nazim. However, prior to commencing of the polling at District Council Hall, Younas Zahir and Raham Dil Nazaz withdrew from the contest. Three other candidates for the slot of naib-nazim also withdrew in favour of Qasim Ali Shah.
However, Osama Ahmed Waraich, the returning officer, insisted to continue the polling because under the rules it was mandatory for the winning candidate to get at least 70 votes.
The Peshawar district council consists of 138 members including 86 of PTI, 14 of ANP, 12 of PML-N, eight each of JUI-F and PPP, seven of JI and three are independent. Out of them, 107 members were present in the hall during the polling and 98 of them voted for Mohammad Asim Khan and Qasim Ali Shah while 11 abstained from voting.
Announcing the results, the returning officer first administered oath to Naib-Nazim Qasim Ali Shah and then to Nazim Mohammad Asim Khan.
In his brief speech, the newly elected district Nazim said that all efforts would be made for the development of Peshawar. He said that the protesting members of the opposition would be persuaded to come to the house.
In Haripur, PTI nominees Adil Salam and Agha Shabbir Ahmed won the slots of district nazim and naib nazim respectively. Each one bagged 53 out of 69 votes. PML-N candidates Javed Khan and Dad Mohammad bagged only 15 votes each.
Similarly, PTI candidates Tariq Mehmood Khan and Syed Ahsan Shah won tehsil nazim slot by getting 43 votes out of the total 56 votes while two voters didn’t turn up. PML-N candidates Sajjad Khan Jadoon and Raja Ayaz each polled eleven votes.
Aslam Hayat Khan and Haji Anwer, both PTI nominees for Ghazi tehsil, have been elected unopposed.
In Swat, the six-party alliance of PML-N, ANP, JUI-F, JI, QWP and PPP grabbed majority of votes in the elections for nazim and naib nazim slots.
Mohammad Ali Shah, the candidate of the alliance, was elected district nazim while Abdul Jabbar Shah was elected naib nazim. Both of them grabbed 62 out of 101 votes.
PTI candidate for nazim slot Ali Khan and Mohammadzeb Khan, its nominee for naib nazim slot, secured 37 votes each.
The six-party alliance formed its governments in five tehsils while PTI candidates won in two tehsils.
In Swabi, ANP candidate Ameer Rehman and JUI-F candidate Asar Khan were elected district nazim and naib nazim respectively. Both of them got 57 votes while their rival Azizullah Khan and Asif Iqbal of PTI received only 27 votes.
The PTI candidates won nazim slots in Chota Lahor and Topi thesils while ANP candidate won nazim and JUI-F naib nazim seats in Razar tesil and JI candidate won nazim and ANP nominee got naib nazim slot in Swabi tehsil.
In Nowshera, PTI candidates Liaquat Khattak, the brother of Chief Minister Pervez Khattak, and Ashfaq Khan won elections for district nazim and naib naiz slots repectively.
PTI also got nazim and naib nazim slots in Nowshera, Jehangira and Pabbi tehsils.
In Abbottabad, PTI forward bloc candidate Sardar Sher Bahadar and Shaukat Tanoli got the district nazim and naib nazim slots respectively.
Sardar Sher Bahadar defeated Ali Khan Jadoon, the candidate of his own party, with the support of PML-N.
Sardar Asad Pervez of PLM-N was elected nazim and Habibullah naib nazim of Havelian tehsil by defeating PTI candidates Iftikhar Khan and Habib. In Abbottabad tehsil, PTI nominee M Ishaque was elected nazim and JI candidate Sardar Shuja naib nazim.
In Karak, PTI candidates Umer Daraz, brother of PMA Gul Sahib Khan, and retired Major Sajjad won district nazim and naib nazim slot by securing 21 votes.
JUI-F candidate Abdul Wahab and Jehanzeb won got nazim and naib nazim slots of Karak tehsil respectively. JUI-F candidates Malik Shaukat Ali and Speena Jan Won elections for nazim and naib nazim slots in Banda Daud Shah tehsil.
Re-election will be held in Takht-i-Nusarti tehsil for nazim slot on September 7 as ANP’s Sajjad Ahmad and PTI’s Ataullah both secured four votes each.
In Lower Dir, JI candidates Haji Mohammad Rasool Khan and Abdul Rashid were elected district nazim and naib nazim respectively.
JI also formed governments in five tehsils of the district including Lal Qilla Maidan, Munda, Samaar Bagh, Balambat and Timergara while PTI succeeded to form government in Adenzai tehsil with the support of JI.
In Mansehra, PML-N candidate Said Ghulam won district nazim slot by securing 45 votes against PTI’s Shafaht Ali, who got 40 votes. QWP candidate Ghulam Murtaza was elected naib nazim, who also secured 45 votes.
In Torghar, PTI candidates Noor Mohammad Khan and Shamzad Khan were elected district nazim and naib nazim by securing 14 votes each. Babar Khankhel and Obaidullah Khan of ANP got only nine votes for nazim and naib slots.
In Battagram: Attaur Rehman and Fahim Akbar Khan of PTI were elected district nazim and naib nazim after JUI-F boycotted the elections alleging pre-poll rigging by PTI.
In Buner, JI candidate Dr Obaidullah and ANP’s Yousaf Ali won district nazim and nabi nazim slots respectively by bagging 24 out of total 44 votes.
In Chitral, JI candidate Maghfirat Shah was elected district nazim while Maulana Abdul Shakoor of JUI-F naib nazim.
Both of them polled 22 votes against 15 votes of their rivals in the house of 38.
The two-party alliance of JI and JUI-F clinched nazim and naib nazim slots of Chitral and Mastuj tehsils.
In Kohat, Maulana Niaz Mohammad of JUI-F was elected district nazim and PML-N candidate Malik Taimoor naib nazim.
Shahid Mehmood of JUI-F was elected naib nazim of Kohat tehsil while Ishfaq Qureshi of PTI was elected nazim of Lachi tehsil and JI’s Nazir Gul nazib nazim of the same tehsil.
In Mardan, The alliance of ANP, PPP, JUI-F, PML-N and independent councillors won the district nazim slot. It also won nazim slot of Takhtbai tehsil while PTI, JI and JUI-F (forward bloc) succeeded to form governments in Mardan and Katlang tehsils.
Himayatullah Mayar was elected district mazim and Asad Ali Kashmiri naib nazim by getting 60 votes each out of total 112 votes.
In Charsadda, PTI candidate Fahad Riaz and JI’s Haji Musaweer Shah were elected district nazim and naib nazim respectively.
The tripartite alliance of PIT, QWP and JI also won tehsils nazim slots in Tangi and Shabqadar while tehsil nazim slot in Charsadda was clinched by ANP and naib nazim slot by JUI-F.
In Shangla, PML-N candidate Niaz Ahmed Khan, son of Amir Muqam, was elected district nazim and PPP’s Kamran Iqbal got the slot of naib nazim.
Mohammad Tahir Khan of PML-N was elected nazim Al Puri tehsil and Raja Usman Ali nazim of Poran tehsil.
In DI Khan, PTI candidate Azizullah Khan was elected district nazim. The PTI candidates also won elections for tehsil nazims in Paharpur, Kulachi and Dera nazims. Elections tehsil nazims of Draban Kalan and Prova will be held later.
In Hangu, JUI-F won elections for district nazim and naib nazim as well as tehsil nazims in Hangu and Tall.
In Lakki Marwat, PPP candidate Ishfaq Ahmad Khan Meenakhel and PTI’s Arab Khan were elected district nazim and naib nazim respectively.
Published in Dawn, August 31st, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1203995/ruling-pti-gets-nazim-slots-in-nine-districts-of-kp
[h=1]Ruling PTI gets nazim slots in nine districts of KP[/h]
PESHAWAR: The candidates of ruling PTI were elected nazims in nine districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, followed by four district nazims of its coalition partner Jamaat-i-Islami, as the process of local government elections completed on Sunday in the province.
PML-N secured three slots of nazims, whereas PPP, ANP and JUI-F got two posts of district nazims each in the province. PTI had absolute majority only in few districts where it did not require support of any other party, however, in most of the districts political parties had formed alliances with each other.
The candidates of PTI were elected district nazims in Peshawar, Charsadda, Nowshera, Dera Ismail Khan, Tank, Karak, Haripur, Battagram and Torghar.
The ruling party faced setback in Abbottabad where its dissident group emerged victorious against the party candidate with the support of PML-N.
[h=4]JI grabs four nazim seats, followed by PML-N with three, while PPP, ANP and JUI-F get two seats each[/h]
JI managed to secure berth of district nazim in Upper Dir, Lower Dir, Buner and Chitral. PML-N won the post of district nazim in Mansehra, Swat and Shangla. ANP emerged victorious in Swabi and Mardan whereas district nazim of PPP were elected in Malakand and Lakki Marwat. JUI-F won posts of district nazims in Hangu and Kohat.
In Peshawar, PTI candidates Mohammad Asim Khan and Syed Qasim Ali Shah were elected district nazim and as naib nazim respectively.
The tripartite alliance of ANP, PPP and JUI-F boycotted the election process for having some reservations at the schedule of the election.
With the election of nazim and nazib nazims of district, tehsil/town, village and neighbourhood councils, the process of the three-tier local government system took five months to complete. In the new local government system, over 40,000 people were elected for different tiers mostly to the village and neighbourhood councils.
PTI also won the slots of nazim and naib-nazim of three towns in Peshawar while PML-N candidate was elected nazim of Town-IV and JUI-F candidate got the slot of naib-nazim. The party-based elections were conducted through opened division.
Three candidates including Mohammad Asim Khan and Younas Zahir of PTI and Raham Dil Nawaz of PML-N were in the run for Peshawar district nazim. However, prior to commencing of the polling at District Council Hall, Younas Zahir and Raham Dil Nazaz withdrew from the contest. Three other candidates for the slot of naib-nazim also withdrew in favour of Qasim Ali Shah.
However, Osama Ahmed Waraich, the returning officer, insisted to continue the polling because under the rules it was mandatory for the winning candidate to get at least 70 votes.
The Peshawar district council consists of 138 members including 86 of PTI, 14 of ANP, 12 of PML-N, eight each of JUI-F and PPP, seven of JI and three are independent. Out of them, 107 members were present in the hall during the polling and 98 of them voted for Mohammad Asim Khan and Qasim Ali Shah while 11 abstained from voting.
Announcing the results, the returning officer first administered oath to Naib-Nazim Qasim Ali Shah and then to Nazim Mohammad Asim Khan.
In his brief speech, the newly elected district Nazim said that all efforts would be made for the development of Peshawar. He said that the protesting members of the opposition would be persuaded to come to the house.
In Haripur, PTI nominees Adil Salam and Agha Shabbir Ahmed won the slots of district nazim and naib nazim respectively. Each one bagged 53 out of 69 votes. PML-N candidates Javed Khan and Dad Mohammad bagged only 15 votes each.
Similarly, PTI candidates Tariq Mehmood Khan and Syed Ahsan Shah won tehsil nazim slot by getting 43 votes out of the total 56 votes while two voters didn’t turn up. PML-N candidates Sajjad Khan Jadoon and Raja Ayaz each polled eleven votes.
Aslam Hayat Khan and Haji Anwer, both PTI nominees for Ghazi tehsil, have been elected unopposed.
In Swat, the six-party alliance of PML-N, ANP, JUI-F, JI, QWP and PPP grabbed majority of votes in the elections for nazim and naib nazim slots.
Mohammad Ali Shah, the candidate of the alliance, was elected district nazim while Abdul Jabbar Shah was elected naib nazim. Both of them grabbed 62 out of 101 votes.
PTI candidate for nazim slot Ali Khan and Mohammadzeb Khan, its nominee for naib nazim slot, secured 37 votes each.
The six-party alliance formed its governments in five tehsils while PTI candidates won in two tehsils.
In Swabi, ANP candidate Ameer Rehman and JUI-F candidate Asar Khan were elected district nazim and naib nazim respectively. Both of them got 57 votes while their rival Azizullah Khan and Asif Iqbal of PTI received only 27 votes.
The PTI candidates won nazim slots in Chota Lahor and Topi thesils while ANP candidate won nazim and JUI-F naib nazim seats in Razar tesil and JI candidate won nazim and ANP nominee got naib nazim slot in Swabi tehsil.
In Nowshera, PTI candidates Liaquat Khattak, the brother of Chief Minister Pervez Khattak, and Ashfaq Khan won elections for district nazim and naib naiz slots repectively.
PTI also got nazim and naib nazim slots in Nowshera, Jehangira and Pabbi tehsils.
In Abbottabad, PTI forward bloc candidate Sardar Sher Bahadar and Shaukat Tanoli got the district nazim and naib nazim slots respectively.
Sardar Sher Bahadar defeated Ali Khan Jadoon, the candidate of his own party, with the support of PML-N.
Sardar Asad Pervez of PLM-N was elected nazim and Habibullah naib nazim of Havelian tehsil by defeating PTI candidates Iftikhar Khan and Habib. In Abbottabad tehsil, PTI nominee M Ishaque was elected nazim and JI candidate Sardar Shuja naib nazim.
In Karak, PTI candidates Umer Daraz, brother of PMA Gul Sahib Khan, and retired Major Sajjad won district nazim and naib nazim slot by securing 21 votes.
JUI-F candidate Abdul Wahab and Jehanzeb won got nazim and naib nazim slots of Karak tehsil respectively. JUI-F candidates Malik Shaukat Ali and Speena Jan Won elections for nazim and naib nazim slots in Banda Daud Shah tehsil.
Re-election will be held in Takht-i-Nusarti tehsil for nazim slot on September 7 as ANP’s Sajjad Ahmad and PTI’s Ataullah both secured four votes each.
In Lower Dir, JI candidates Haji Mohammad Rasool Khan and Abdul Rashid were elected district nazim and naib nazim respectively.
JI also formed governments in five tehsils of the district including Lal Qilla Maidan, Munda, Samaar Bagh, Balambat and Timergara while PTI succeeded to form government in Adenzai tehsil with the support of JI.
In Mansehra, PML-N candidate Said Ghulam won district nazim slot by securing 45 votes against PTI’s Shafaht Ali, who got 40 votes. QWP candidate Ghulam Murtaza was elected naib nazim, who also secured 45 votes.
In Torghar, PTI candidates Noor Mohammad Khan and Shamzad Khan were elected district nazim and naib nazim by securing 14 votes each. Babar Khankhel and Obaidullah Khan of ANP got only nine votes for nazim and naib slots.
In Battagram: Attaur Rehman and Fahim Akbar Khan of PTI were elected district nazim and naib nazim after JUI-F boycotted the elections alleging pre-poll rigging by PTI.
In Buner, JI candidate Dr Obaidullah and ANP’s Yousaf Ali won district nazim and nabi nazim slots respectively by bagging 24 out of total 44 votes.
In Chitral, JI candidate Maghfirat Shah was elected district nazim while Maulana Abdul Shakoor of JUI-F naib nazim.
Both of them polled 22 votes against 15 votes of their rivals in the house of 38.
The two-party alliance of JI and JUI-F clinched nazim and naib nazim slots of Chitral and Mastuj tehsils.
In Kohat, Maulana Niaz Mohammad of JUI-F was elected district nazim and PML-N candidate Malik Taimoor naib nazim.
Shahid Mehmood of JUI-F was elected naib nazim of Kohat tehsil while Ishfaq Qureshi of PTI was elected nazim of Lachi tehsil and JI’s Nazir Gul nazib nazim of the same tehsil.
In Mardan, The alliance of ANP, PPP, JUI-F, PML-N and independent councillors won the district nazim slot. It also won nazim slot of Takhtbai tehsil while PTI, JI and JUI-F (forward bloc) succeeded to form governments in Mardan and Katlang tehsils.
Himayatullah Mayar was elected district mazim and Asad Ali Kashmiri naib nazim by getting 60 votes each out of total 112 votes.
In Charsadda, PTI candidate Fahad Riaz and JI’s Haji Musaweer Shah were elected district nazim and naib nazim respectively.
The tripartite alliance of PIT, QWP and JI also won tehsils nazim slots in Tangi and Shabqadar while tehsil nazim slot in Charsadda was clinched by ANP and naib nazim slot by JUI-F.
In Shangla, PML-N candidate Niaz Ahmed Khan, son of Amir Muqam, was elected district nazim and PPP’s Kamran Iqbal got the slot of naib nazim.
Mohammad Tahir Khan of PML-N was elected nazim Al Puri tehsil and Raja Usman Ali nazim of Poran tehsil.
In DI Khan, PTI candidate Azizullah Khan was elected district nazim. The PTI candidates also won elections for tehsil nazims in Paharpur, Kulachi and Dera nazims. Elections tehsil nazims of Draban Kalan and Prova will be held later.
In Hangu, JUI-F won elections for district nazim and naib nazim as well as tehsil nazims in Hangu and Tall.
In Lakki Marwat, PPP candidate Ishfaq Ahmad Khan Meenakhel and PTI’s Arab Khan were elected district nazim and naib nazim respectively.
Published in Dawn, August 31st, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1203995/ruling-pti-gets-nazim-slots-in-nine-districts-of-kp
Last edited:
Syed Haider Imam
Chief Minister (5k+ posts)
September 01 2015
[h=1]Arrests in KP over corruption send shock waves through bureaucracy[/h]
PESHAWAR: The arrest of several government officials by accountability bodies in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa over corruption has caused resentment and fear among bureaucracy.
Over the last few months, the National Accountability Bureau and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ehtesab Commission have arrested several senior officials over the alleged involvement in corrupt practices.
There are also rumours about many more such arrests in near future.
Some officials told Dawn on condition of anonymity that arrest of senior members of bureaucracy had struck fear into their hearts, especially about financial matters.
[h=4]Officials say so fearful that they’re reluctant to decide on financial matters[/h]
An official said the August 26 arrest of industries secretary Sajid Jadoon by the Ehtesab Commission was interesting as he was the member of the cabinet committee on Ehtesab law reforms.
According to him, the committee is led by senior minister for local government Inayatullah Khan and has health minister Shahram Khan Tarakai as member.
Jadoon, who is also the president of the Provincial Civil Service Officers Association, had submitted a working paper about reforming the accountability law.
“The arrest of Mr Jadoon, who led the PCS officers’ movement against Pakistan Administrative Service, is meaningful as all those arrested so far belong to the provincial service. There is resentment among the provincial service officers, who feel they are being targeted,” the official said.
He said the arrests being made by the Ehtesab Commission were premature as first, they arrested people and later investigated corruption charges tarnishing their image.
“Jadoon was called for interview and was picked up by the commission,” he said, adding that ideally, the commission should not arrest those cooperating with investigators.
The official said compared to NAB, where a board authorised arrests, the Ehtesab Commission director general gave the go-ahead to arrests on his own.
He said in the first instance, the government officials were subjected to the Government Servants (Efficiency And Discipline) Rules.
The official said the procedural lapses were first needed to be investigated by a departmental panel and involved civil law but the commission’s intervention turned such cases into criminal ones.
He said government officials were reluctant to decide about monetary matters.
“The finance and planning and development departments are now not allowing their officials to attend meeting of the department consultant selection committee (DSCS), procurement and purchase committees,” he said.
A planning and development official said his department had formally directed its officials to stay away from meetings on procurements, bid opening and consultant selection in future through a notification issued on July 13.
He said the notification was issued following the arrest of a deputy secretary of the department by the anti-corruption establishment on June 29.
A senior official at the mining department, which has been the subject of NAB and Ehtesab Commission investigations, told Dawn that every day or second, people of accountability bodies showed up and began quizzing officials on one matter or the other.
“It is spreading fear among officials, who now fear signing official papers,” he said.
The official said bureaucracy was not opposed to accountability but felt there should be mechanisms to protect people’s reputation and good name.
“If these (accountability) guys arrest me on the corruption charges and tomorrow such charges are not proved, even then I won’t be able to face my family, friends and colleagues,” he said, adding that there was no escape from the label of being a corrupt.
When contacted, senior minister Shahram Khan Tarakai, who is also the member of the cabinet committee on the Ehtesab law reforms, said the panel was thoroughly examining the matter.
“We have listened to the government officials as well as Ehtesab Commission DG on the accountability law issue and are committed to bringing improvements to the law,” he said. Shahram however said the committee had so far not made any decision.
“We’ve heard about premature arrests and other issues related to the law. No one should be arrested without investigation. It is also against the fundamental rights of the people,” he said.
The minister said accountability should take place but it wouldn’t prudent if the people of good reputation were detained on mere charges and tomorrow nothing was proved against them.
Published in Dawn, September 1st, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1204206/arrests-in-kp-over-corruption-send-shock-waves-through-bureaucracy
[h=1]400 displaced families return to S Waziristan
[/h]TANK: About 400 displaced families returned to their native town in South Waziristan from Khargi transit camp in the second phase of repatriation after security forces cleared these areas of militants.
Under the repatriation plan, the displaced families will get free transpiration, Rs25000 cash amount and ration for six months.
South Waziristan Political Agent Zaffarul Islam, Assistant Political Officer Nawab Safi, APA Abdul Nasir, FDMA coordinator Syed Umar and army officers and tribal elder saw off the caravan of IDPs to different areas including Tiyarza, Sarwakai and Sara Rogha.
Talking to journalists, Zaffarul Islam said that it was a matter of satisfaction for the tribal people to return to their native towns with respect and dignity. He assured the returning displaced people of provision of clean drinking water, health and education facilities.
The official said that arrangements were made at Khargi transit camp to provide all facilities to the returning IDPs. He said that anti-polio vaccine and free food were provided to tribal people.
The official said that government would not leave tribal people alone after their return and all possible assistance would be provided to them. He said that 10,000 IDPs registered themselves for going back to their areas in the second phase, which would be completed in one month.
Published in Dawn, September 1st, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1204204/400-displaced-families-return-to-s-waziristan
[h=1]Swabi nazim warns against meddling in district govt affairs[/h]
SWABI: The PTI-led provincial government should assist the local governments to strengthen institutions, said Ameer Rehman, the newly elected district nazim.
In a statement here on Monday, he said that meddling in the affairs of district government would not be allowed. “We are elected by the people and we should be allowed to continue our work with complete concentration to make the institutions strong,” said Mr Rehman, who is also district president of ANP.
He said that unemployment was one of the major problems in the district and his government would focus on giving a result-oriented hope to educated youth.
The district nazim said that there were numerous problems in health sectors.
[h=4]Says it is responsibility of provincial govt ensure smooth flow of funds[/h]
He said that they would take the health officials and other staff along into confidence to create an environment where they could easily deliver.
Mr Rehman said that it was responsibility of the provincial government to ensure smooth flow of funds, which would help the district governments to meet the expectations and demands of people.
“We have planned to make the district a new model and anybody, who can help us, is welcomed,” he added.
He said that they would follow the ‘non-violence philosophy’ of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan. He said that they had worked for peace because peace was prerequisite for economic progress and prosperity.
He said that their leaders and workers preached peace even in the worst and difficult circumstances. “We always fought for our rights and this struggle will not end at any cost,” said Mr Rehman.
SEALED: The district administration has sealed three ice cream factories in Yar Hussain area for preparing unhygienic ice cream. The owners of the three factories have been arrested and district administration has registered cases against them at Yar Husain police station.
“We are further investigating the matter and all those, who are involved in providing spurious ice cream to the people, especially children, would never be allowed by the district administration,” said Deputy Commissioner Matiullah Khan.
He said that the three factories used to supply unhygienic ice cream to Swabi, Mardan, Charsadda and Bunner districts.
To a question, the deputy commissioner said that they would not stop there and the crackdown would continue without any break. He appealed to the people to help the district administration in taking action against fake factories of ice cream and other food items.
Published in Dawn, September 1st, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1204195/swabi-nazim-warns-against-meddling-in-district-govt-affairs
[h=1]Arrests in KP over corruption send shock waves through bureaucracy[/h]
PESHAWAR: The arrest of several government officials by accountability bodies in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa over corruption has caused resentment and fear among bureaucracy.
Over the last few months, the National Accountability Bureau and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ehtesab Commission have arrested several senior officials over the alleged involvement in corrupt practices.
There are also rumours about many more such arrests in near future.
Some officials told Dawn on condition of anonymity that arrest of senior members of bureaucracy had struck fear into their hearts, especially about financial matters.
[h=4]Officials say so fearful that they’re reluctant to decide on financial matters[/h]
An official said the August 26 arrest of industries secretary Sajid Jadoon by the Ehtesab Commission was interesting as he was the member of the cabinet committee on Ehtesab law reforms.
According to him, the committee is led by senior minister for local government Inayatullah Khan and has health minister Shahram Khan Tarakai as member.
Jadoon, who is also the president of the Provincial Civil Service Officers Association, had submitted a working paper about reforming the accountability law.
“The arrest of Mr Jadoon, who led the PCS officers’ movement against Pakistan Administrative Service, is meaningful as all those arrested so far belong to the provincial service. There is resentment among the provincial service officers, who feel they are being targeted,” the official said.
He said the arrests being made by the Ehtesab Commission were premature as first, they arrested people and later investigated corruption charges tarnishing their image.
“Jadoon was called for interview and was picked up by the commission,” he said, adding that ideally, the commission should not arrest those cooperating with investigators.
The official said compared to NAB, where a board authorised arrests, the Ehtesab Commission director general gave the go-ahead to arrests on his own.
He said in the first instance, the government officials were subjected to the Government Servants (Efficiency And Discipline) Rules.
The official said the procedural lapses were first needed to be investigated by a departmental panel and involved civil law but the commission’s intervention turned such cases into criminal ones.
He said government officials were reluctant to decide about monetary matters.
“The finance and planning and development departments are now not allowing their officials to attend meeting of the department consultant selection committee (DSCS), procurement and purchase committees,” he said.
A planning and development official said his department had formally directed its officials to stay away from meetings on procurements, bid opening and consultant selection in future through a notification issued on July 13.
He said the notification was issued following the arrest of a deputy secretary of the department by the anti-corruption establishment on June 29.
A senior official at the mining department, which has been the subject of NAB and Ehtesab Commission investigations, told Dawn that every day or second, people of accountability bodies showed up and began quizzing officials on one matter or the other.
“It is spreading fear among officials, who now fear signing official papers,” he said.
The official said bureaucracy was not opposed to accountability but felt there should be mechanisms to protect people’s reputation and good name.
“If these (accountability) guys arrest me on the corruption charges and tomorrow such charges are not proved, even then I won’t be able to face my family, friends and colleagues,” he said, adding that there was no escape from the label of being a corrupt.
When contacted, senior minister Shahram Khan Tarakai, who is also the member of the cabinet committee on the Ehtesab law reforms, said the panel was thoroughly examining the matter.
“We have listened to the government officials as well as Ehtesab Commission DG on the accountability law issue and are committed to bringing improvements to the law,” he said. Shahram however said the committee had so far not made any decision.
“We’ve heard about premature arrests and other issues related to the law. No one should be arrested without investigation. It is also against the fundamental rights of the people,” he said.
The minister said accountability should take place but it wouldn’t prudent if the people of good reputation were detained on mere charges and tomorrow nothing was proved against them.
Published in Dawn, September 1st, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1204206/arrests-in-kp-over-corruption-send-shock-waves-through-bureaucracy
[h=1]400 displaced families return to S Waziristan
[/h]TANK: About 400 displaced families returned to their native town in South Waziristan from Khargi transit camp in the second phase of repatriation after security forces cleared these areas of militants.
Under the repatriation plan, the displaced families will get free transpiration, Rs25000 cash amount and ration for six months.
South Waziristan Political Agent Zaffarul Islam, Assistant Political Officer Nawab Safi, APA Abdul Nasir, FDMA coordinator Syed Umar and army officers and tribal elder saw off the caravan of IDPs to different areas including Tiyarza, Sarwakai and Sara Rogha.
Talking to journalists, Zaffarul Islam said that it was a matter of satisfaction for the tribal people to return to their native towns with respect and dignity. He assured the returning displaced people of provision of clean drinking water, health and education facilities.
The official said that arrangements were made at Khargi transit camp to provide all facilities to the returning IDPs. He said that anti-polio vaccine and free food were provided to tribal people.
The official said that government would not leave tribal people alone after their return and all possible assistance would be provided to them. He said that 10,000 IDPs registered themselves for going back to their areas in the second phase, which would be completed in one month.
Published in Dawn, September 1st, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1204204/400-displaced-families-return-to-s-waziristan
[h=1]Swabi nazim warns against meddling in district govt affairs[/h]
SWABI: The PTI-led provincial government should assist the local governments to strengthen institutions, said Ameer Rehman, the newly elected district nazim.
In a statement here on Monday, he said that meddling in the affairs of district government would not be allowed. “We are elected by the people and we should be allowed to continue our work with complete concentration to make the institutions strong,” said Mr Rehman, who is also district president of ANP.
He said that unemployment was one of the major problems in the district and his government would focus on giving a result-oriented hope to educated youth.
The district nazim said that there were numerous problems in health sectors.
[h=4]Says it is responsibility of provincial govt ensure smooth flow of funds[/h]
He said that they would take the health officials and other staff along into confidence to create an environment where they could easily deliver.
Mr Rehman said that it was responsibility of the provincial government to ensure smooth flow of funds, which would help the district governments to meet the expectations and demands of people.
“We have planned to make the district a new model and anybody, who can help us, is welcomed,” he added.
He said that they would follow the ‘non-violence philosophy’ of Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan. He said that they had worked for peace because peace was prerequisite for economic progress and prosperity.
He said that their leaders and workers preached peace even in the worst and difficult circumstances. “We always fought for our rights and this struggle will not end at any cost,” said Mr Rehman.
SEALED: The district administration has sealed three ice cream factories in Yar Hussain area for preparing unhygienic ice cream. The owners of the three factories have been arrested and district administration has registered cases against them at Yar Husain police station.
“We are further investigating the matter and all those, who are involved in providing spurious ice cream to the people, especially children, would never be allowed by the district administration,” said Deputy Commissioner Matiullah Khan.
He said that the three factories used to supply unhygienic ice cream to Swabi, Mardan, Charsadda and Bunner districts.
To a question, the deputy commissioner said that they would not stop there and the crackdown would continue without any break. He appealed to the people to help the district administration in taking action against fake factories of ice cream and other food items.
Published in Dawn, September 1st, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1204195/swabi-nazim-warns-against-meddling-in-district-govt-affairs
Last edited:
Syed Haider Imam
Chief Minister (5k+ posts)
Sep 02 2015
[h=1]Govt fails to utilise Rs2.5bn grant for rebuilding schools
ESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has failed to prepare a plan in three years for the utilisation of over Rs2.5 billion grant pledged by the USAID for the reconstruction of 100 government schools destroyed by floods in 2010, according to sources. [/h]They said that the USAID was ready to release the pledged $25 million (over Rs2.5 billion) for reconstruction of schools destroyed by the floods, but the authorities concerned were yet to come up with a plan about the utilisation of the pledged money.
They said that studies of students of the flood-hit schools were still being affected because their schools had been functioning either in rented buildings or in tents.
The sources claimed that usually the provincial communication and works department constructed the buildings, but keeping in view the past experience the USAID had expressed reservations about its performance for its delay in completion of works.
The USAID has also financed the reconstruction of 117 government schools destroyed by militants in Malakand division, mostly in Swat. The sources said that the project was to be completed by 2013, but the C&W could construct only 96 schools so far while work on rest of the buildings was in progress.
[h=4]USAID says it is still committed to rebuilding schools damaged by floods in 2010[/h]
In 2012, when the USAID pledged to rebuild 100 more government schools with the estimated cost of $25 million, it refused to construct such schools through the C&W.
After correspondence between the provincial government and USAID, both agreed that the Provincial Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Settlement Authority (PaRRSA) would establish a reconstruction unit to ensure quality of work and speedy reconstruction of the schools destroyed by the floods.
Some of the staff members, including engineers, were hired by PaRRSA for the reconstruction unit a year ago, the sources said. The PaRRSA has also established the standard operating procedure and different committees on the level of divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners for the utilization of USAID’s pledged money.
The sources said that with the help of the elementary and secondary education department PaRRSA had also identified the schools to be reconstructed in different districts. According to the list, 11 schools each have been identified for reconstruction in Swat and Lower Dir, nine in Upper Dir, seven in Malakand, six each in Charsadda and Dera Ismail Khan and four in Nowshera district.
The sources said that identification of the remaining schools and recruitment of staff for the reconstruction unit was in progress when the provincial government withdrew from its agreed commitment of constructing schools through the reconstruction unit.
They said that the government insisted that the C&W would construct buildings of the schools while the USAID stuck to its earlier stance that it was ready to construct schools through any department except C&W.
When contacted, the US Embassy spokesperson in Islamabad said: “The US Agency for International Development (USAID) signed a $25 million agreement with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government in 2012 to repair and rebuild flood-damaged schools. We remain committed to our government-to-government support and are anticipating a proposal from the KP government regarding the implementation of these funds. We deeply value our partnership with the KP government, and are eager to support its efforts to get children back into the classroom.”
Provincial Minister for Elementary and Secondary Education Department Mohammad Atif Khan, when contacted on the issue, said that he didn’t know about the reasons for stoppage of the reconstruction of flood-damaged schools.
“Whosoever wants to reconstruct our schools, let them do as we need schools,” he said. The minister told this scribe that he would ascertain the latest development on the issue and would let him know. However, this scribe tried to contact him time and again for his comments, but he didn’t respond.
Published in Dawn, September 2nd, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1204439/govt-fails-to-utilise-rs25bn-grant-for-rebuilding-schools
[h=1]Wanted man surrenders to Mansehra police
[/h]MANSEHRA: A criminal wanted for over three dozen cases of murder, attempted murder and police encounters, surrendered here on Tuesday.
Sabir alias Sabira was produced before the media during the news conference of district police officer Najeebur Rehman.
The DPO said the arrested man wanted for 38 serious crimes surrendered to the police following the killing of his many accomplices in encounters with police in Danna mountainous area of Tanawal.
He said the gang had murdered people, kidnapped many for ransom, and had encounters with the police.
“Sabir has surrendered to the police seeking protection of his life,” he said. Rehman said Danna was considered a safe haven for criminals, who had attacked and killed or injured the policemen during the past operations.
He said the effective police operations had eliminated many outlaws and that the area would be free from criminals soon.
The DPO said over 80 members of two criminal groups had surrendered to the police over the years.
Published in Dawn, September 2nd, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1204429/wanted-man-surrenders-to-mansehra-police
[h=1]
[/h]
[h=1]Young entrepreneur becomes ray of hope for Swat women
[/h]MINGORA: During the three years of militancy, when there was no ray of hope for the traumatised widows and orphan girls in Swat, Shama Khalilur Rehman, a young entrepreneur, came forward to not only rehabilitate them but also help them to stand on their own feet.
She opened a vocational centre in Swat in 2009 and motivated the needy women to learn skills and earn their livelihood in a respectful way.
She said that she set up the centre as she could not see the suffering of the poor women, whose spouses were killed during the militancy. “I decided to provide a platform to them where they could share their burden with others and learn skills,” Ms Rehman told Dawn.
She said that she was successful in imparting training to about 2,000 women. The Shama Vocational Centre not only trained the women but also linked them with the market to get better rates for their artifacts.
[h=4]About 2,000 women have received training at Shama Vocational Centre so far[/h]
“The major problem of the women here is that they do not have market linkages due to which their products are bought at very low rates. I linked them with bigger markets of the country like Lahore, Gujranwala and Karachi etc,” Ms Rehman said.
The centre has also revived the original Swati stitch, which is in high demand in the international market for its uniqueness. The women learn embroidery, sewing and knitting besides doing beautician course at the centre. The trained women are happy as their income is ten times higher now.
Arbania, a mother of two, whose husband has been missing for the last seven years, said that she had a hard time initially as she did not know how to earn livelihood for her family.
“When I came to know about the vocational centre, I came here and learnt stitching. Now they give me work and also sell the items in the market at a higher price. I can easily earn livelihood for my children and fulfil other needs,” she said.
Sardar Begum, a mother of four, said that life was hard before she was connected with the centre as she could earn Rs2,000 to Rs3,000 a month. Now she can earn Rs10,000 to Rs12,000 easily in a month as she is connected with the centre. Some of the women have started teaching in the centre after completing their vocational courses.
“My sister and I live alone as our parents are dead. I had learnt the stitching but it was not of professional standard. So I refined my work here and now I have been teaching and also stitch in spare time to earn more money,” said Amna, a trainer at the centre.
The centre also supports young girls and motivates them to get education. “I learnt stitching skill in six months. I earn Rs5,000 to Rs6,000 a month and also study in a college,” Mehnaz Bibi, a BSc student, told Dawn.
Ms Rehman learnt stitching, embroidery and knitting skills from her physically challenged mother, who, despite her husband’s illness, did not lose heart and taught her daughter.
“I dreamt of educating my children because I used to see girls going to colleges and schools so I was determined to send all my children to schools for which I started tailoring and knitting,” Jehan Pari, the mother of Ms Rehman, told Dawn. She said that after a hard work of 15 years, she managed to educate her children. Ms Rehman said that she didn’t receive any support from the government for her centre. “The artisans produce high standard stuff and need an international market linkage which is not possible without the help of government,” she added.
Ms Rehman appealed to the government and other relevant organisations to enable them to access the international market so that the widows and orphan girls could get better income for their labour. MNA Ayesha Syed, who visited the centre, said that she would raise voice for the women artisans on the floor of assembly and would also try to link the centre with the embassies of different countries. “I strongly believe that the artisans will soon have international linkages as their work is of high standard,” she said.
Published in Dawn, September 2nd, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1204428/young-entrepreneur-becomes-ray-of-hope-for-swat-women
[h=1]KP govt, Fata secretariat to frame guidelines for NGOs
[/h]PESHAWAR/PARACHINAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and Fata Civil Secretariat will formulate guidelines to facilitate international and national non-governmental organisations to carry out activities in the disaster-hit areas of the province and adjoining tribal region.
This was decided during a meeting chaired here by relief, rehabilitation and settlement secretary Tariq Rasheed and attended by senior officials of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority, Fata Disaster Management Authority and the army on Tuesday.
According to an official statement issued here, the participants discussed repatriation of Fata internally displaced persons and issuance of no-objection certificates to various national and international NGOs and foreign donors to work in the region.
The meeting was informed that a joint task force including members of FDMA would announce schedule for the return of around 700 displaced families to Orakzai Agency today (Wednesday).
[h=4]Officials discuss repatriation of IDPs, issuance of NOCs to non-governmental organisations[/h]
Currently, 1,070 displaced persons live at Togh Serai Camp in Hangu district and 700 of them will be sent back to their homes within a month.
The law-enforcement agencies have already de-notified cleared areas as conflict zones after flushing out miscreants.
The remaining 300 families will be either relocated to New Durrani Camp in Kurram Agency or Jalozai camp in Nowshera district near Peshawar.
An official said the remaining 300 families might be repatriated if security officials declared their native villages safe.
A proposal is under consideration to close Togh Serai Camp because the government had stopped access to workers of UN agencies and its partners to the camp owing to security reasons.
The UN agencies have already decided to wind up activities in the camp by the end of December next.
The meeting was informed that 1300 displaced families were currently living at Jalozai Camp. The site has almost deserted, because of large scale return of IDPs of Khyber Agency to their homes.
The issue of issuing NOC to INGOs and NGOs also came under discussion. It was decided that PDMA and FDMA would prepare mechanism for allowing INGOs and NGO to execute rehabilitation and reconstruction projects in natural disaster-affected and conflict stricken areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Fata.
A committee comprising civil and military officers will decide whether to issue NOC to relief agency or NGO to start rehabilitation activities in affected areas.
An official said the current process of issuing NOC to relief organisations was very lengthy as result many bodies had shifted their activities to other provinces.
He said several INGOs had abandoned their activities since federal government placed ban on their activities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Fata.
The official said the provincial government and management in Fata would make process of NOC simple.
http://www.dawn.com/news/1204435/kp-govt-fata-secretariat-to-frame-guidelines-for-ngos
[h=1]2.5MW project inaugurated
[/h]MARDAN: A power project of 2.5 megawatt was inaugurated at Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan, which would be completed in next seven months with a total cost of Rs320 million.
Vice-Chancellor Prof Ihsan Ali inaugurated the project during a ceremony held here on Tuesday. Before the ceremony, a meeting was chaired by Prof Ihsan Ali and attended by officials concerned. Several suggestions regarding the project were discussed.
Contractor of the project, chief executive of Tie Group, Mohammad Imran, said on the occasion that the project would be completed by March 2016 and it would be ready to generate electricity with the help of gas, coal and wastes. He disclosed that this was the first project of its type in any university of Pakistan. He claimed that the Tie Group had so far completed up to 24MW power projects in different other sectors of the country, generating electricity for different purposes.
Prof Ali said that the project was of great value, which would bring prosperity for them. He said that the university had allotted one acre for the project. He said that with its completion the university would be self-sufficient in the production of electricity and hence, students, staff and faculty would not face electricity shortfall in future.
Published in Dawn, September 2nd, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1204437/25mw-project-inaugurated
[h=1]Summary to pay salaries to LHWs approved
[/h]PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Minister Shahram Khan Tarakai has said that a summary regarding payment of salaries to the lady health workers (LHWs) is being approved. He said that details of their services and schedule of new expenditures had been sent to the finance department to give basic pay scales to them.
He was chairing a meeting held here on Tuesday regarding the issues being faced by LHWs. The high-ups of health department and representatives of LHWs attended the meeting.
He asked the federal government to pay Rs2.4 billion to the provincial government to pay the arrears and salaries to over 13,000 LHWs in the province. The representatives of LHWs thanked the provincial minister for taking interest in solving their issues.
The minister assured the LHWs that all their genuine demands would be accepted and issues resolved on priority basis, saying that being a vertical programme of federal government it was the responsibility of the centre to provide funds to the provincial government for the salaries of LHWs.
http://www.dawn.com/news/1204438/summary-to-pay-salaries-to-lhws-approved
[h=1]Govt fails to utilise Rs2.5bn grant for rebuilding schools
ESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has failed to prepare a plan in three years for the utilisation of over Rs2.5 billion grant pledged by the USAID for the reconstruction of 100 government schools destroyed by floods in 2010, according to sources. [/h]They said that the USAID was ready to release the pledged $25 million (over Rs2.5 billion) for reconstruction of schools destroyed by the floods, but the authorities concerned were yet to come up with a plan about the utilisation of the pledged money.
They said that studies of students of the flood-hit schools were still being affected because their schools had been functioning either in rented buildings or in tents.
The sources claimed that usually the provincial communication and works department constructed the buildings, but keeping in view the past experience the USAID had expressed reservations about its performance for its delay in completion of works.
The USAID has also financed the reconstruction of 117 government schools destroyed by militants in Malakand division, mostly in Swat. The sources said that the project was to be completed by 2013, but the C&W could construct only 96 schools so far while work on rest of the buildings was in progress.
[h=4]USAID says it is still committed to rebuilding schools damaged by floods in 2010[/h]
In 2012, when the USAID pledged to rebuild 100 more government schools with the estimated cost of $25 million, it refused to construct such schools through the C&W.
After correspondence between the provincial government and USAID, both agreed that the Provincial Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Settlement Authority (PaRRSA) would establish a reconstruction unit to ensure quality of work and speedy reconstruction of the schools destroyed by the floods.
Some of the staff members, including engineers, were hired by PaRRSA for the reconstruction unit a year ago, the sources said. The PaRRSA has also established the standard operating procedure and different committees on the level of divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners for the utilization of USAID’s pledged money.
The sources said that with the help of the elementary and secondary education department PaRRSA had also identified the schools to be reconstructed in different districts. According to the list, 11 schools each have been identified for reconstruction in Swat and Lower Dir, nine in Upper Dir, seven in Malakand, six each in Charsadda and Dera Ismail Khan and four in Nowshera district.
The sources said that identification of the remaining schools and recruitment of staff for the reconstruction unit was in progress when the provincial government withdrew from its agreed commitment of constructing schools through the reconstruction unit.
They said that the government insisted that the C&W would construct buildings of the schools while the USAID stuck to its earlier stance that it was ready to construct schools through any department except C&W.
When contacted, the US Embassy spokesperson in Islamabad said: “The US Agency for International Development (USAID) signed a $25 million agreement with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government in 2012 to repair and rebuild flood-damaged schools. We remain committed to our government-to-government support and are anticipating a proposal from the KP government regarding the implementation of these funds. We deeply value our partnership with the KP government, and are eager to support its efforts to get children back into the classroom.”
Provincial Minister for Elementary and Secondary Education Department Mohammad Atif Khan, when contacted on the issue, said that he didn’t know about the reasons for stoppage of the reconstruction of flood-damaged schools.
“Whosoever wants to reconstruct our schools, let them do as we need schools,” he said. The minister told this scribe that he would ascertain the latest development on the issue and would let him know. However, this scribe tried to contact him time and again for his comments, but he didn’t respond.
Published in Dawn, September 2nd, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1204439/govt-fails-to-utilise-rs25bn-grant-for-rebuilding-schools
[h=1]Wanted man surrenders to Mansehra police
[/h]MANSEHRA: A criminal wanted for over three dozen cases of murder, attempted murder and police encounters, surrendered here on Tuesday.
Sabir alias Sabira was produced before the media during the news conference of district police officer Najeebur Rehman.
The DPO said the arrested man wanted for 38 serious crimes surrendered to the police following the killing of his many accomplices in encounters with police in Danna mountainous area of Tanawal.
He said the gang had murdered people, kidnapped many for ransom, and had encounters with the police.
“Sabir has surrendered to the police seeking protection of his life,” he said. Rehman said Danna was considered a safe haven for criminals, who had attacked and killed or injured the policemen during the past operations.
He said the effective police operations had eliminated many outlaws and that the area would be free from criminals soon.
The DPO said over 80 members of two criminal groups had surrendered to the police over the years.
Published in Dawn, September 2nd, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1204429/wanted-man-surrenders-to-mansehra-police
[h=1]
[/h]
[h=1]Young entrepreneur becomes ray of hope for Swat women
[/h]MINGORA: During the three years of militancy, when there was no ray of hope for the traumatised widows and orphan girls in Swat, Shama Khalilur Rehman, a young entrepreneur, came forward to not only rehabilitate them but also help them to stand on their own feet.
She opened a vocational centre in Swat in 2009 and motivated the needy women to learn skills and earn their livelihood in a respectful way.
She said that she set up the centre as she could not see the suffering of the poor women, whose spouses were killed during the militancy. “I decided to provide a platform to them where they could share their burden with others and learn skills,” Ms Rehman told Dawn.
She said that she was successful in imparting training to about 2,000 women. The Shama Vocational Centre not only trained the women but also linked them with the market to get better rates for their artifacts.
[h=4]About 2,000 women have received training at Shama Vocational Centre so far[/h]
“The major problem of the women here is that they do not have market linkages due to which their products are bought at very low rates. I linked them with bigger markets of the country like Lahore, Gujranwala and Karachi etc,” Ms Rehman said.
The centre has also revived the original Swati stitch, which is in high demand in the international market for its uniqueness. The women learn embroidery, sewing and knitting besides doing beautician course at the centre. The trained women are happy as their income is ten times higher now.
Arbania, a mother of two, whose husband has been missing for the last seven years, said that she had a hard time initially as she did not know how to earn livelihood for her family.
“When I came to know about the vocational centre, I came here and learnt stitching. Now they give me work and also sell the items in the market at a higher price. I can easily earn livelihood for my children and fulfil other needs,” she said.
Sardar Begum, a mother of four, said that life was hard before she was connected with the centre as she could earn Rs2,000 to Rs3,000 a month. Now she can earn Rs10,000 to Rs12,000 easily in a month as she is connected with the centre. Some of the women have started teaching in the centre after completing their vocational courses.
“My sister and I live alone as our parents are dead. I had learnt the stitching but it was not of professional standard. So I refined my work here and now I have been teaching and also stitch in spare time to earn more money,” said Amna, a trainer at the centre.
The centre also supports young girls and motivates them to get education. “I learnt stitching skill in six months. I earn Rs5,000 to Rs6,000 a month and also study in a college,” Mehnaz Bibi, a BSc student, told Dawn.
Ms Rehman learnt stitching, embroidery and knitting skills from her physically challenged mother, who, despite her husband’s illness, did not lose heart and taught her daughter.
“I dreamt of educating my children because I used to see girls going to colleges and schools so I was determined to send all my children to schools for which I started tailoring and knitting,” Jehan Pari, the mother of Ms Rehman, told Dawn. She said that after a hard work of 15 years, she managed to educate her children. Ms Rehman said that she didn’t receive any support from the government for her centre. “The artisans produce high standard stuff and need an international market linkage which is not possible without the help of government,” she added.
Ms Rehman appealed to the government and other relevant organisations to enable them to access the international market so that the widows and orphan girls could get better income for their labour. MNA Ayesha Syed, who visited the centre, said that she would raise voice for the women artisans on the floor of assembly and would also try to link the centre with the embassies of different countries. “I strongly believe that the artisans will soon have international linkages as their work is of high standard,” she said.
Published in Dawn, September 2nd, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1204428/young-entrepreneur-becomes-ray-of-hope-for-swat-women
[h=1]KP govt, Fata secretariat to frame guidelines for NGOs
[/h]PESHAWAR/PARACHINAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and Fata Civil Secretariat will formulate guidelines to facilitate international and national non-governmental organisations to carry out activities in the disaster-hit areas of the province and adjoining tribal region.
This was decided during a meeting chaired here by relief, rehabilitation and settlement secretary Tariq Rasheed and attended by senior officials of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority, Fata Disaster Management Authority and the army on Tuesday.
According to an official statement issued here, the participants discussed repatriation of Fata internally displaced persons and issuance of no-objection certificates to various national and international NGOs and foreign donors to work in the region.
The meeting was informed that a joint task force including members of FDMA would announce schedule for the return of around 700 displaced families to Orakzai Agency today (Wednesday).
[h=4]Officials discuss repatriation of IDPs, issuance of NOCs to non-governmental organisations[/h]
Currently, 1,070 displaced persons live at Togh Serai Camp in Hangu district and 700 of them will be sent back to their homes within a month.
The law-enforcement agencies have already de-notified cleared areas as conflict zones after flushing out miscreants.
The remaining 300 families will be either relocated to New Durrani Camp in Kurram Agency or Jalozai camp in Nowshera district near Peshawar.
An official said the remaining 300 families might be repatriated if security officials declared their native villages safe.
A proposal is under consideration to close Togh Serai Camp because the government had stopped access to workers of UN agencies and its partners to the camp owing to security reasons.
The UN agencies have already decided to wind up activities in the camp by the end of December next.
The meeting was informed that 1300 displaced families were currently living at Jalozai Camp. The site has almost deserted, because of large scale return of IDPs of Khyber Agency to their homes.
The issue of issuing NOC to INGOs and NGOs also came under discussion. It was decided that PDMA and FDMA would prepare mechanism for allowing INGOs and NGO to execute rehabilitation and reconstruction projects in natural disaster-affected and conflict stricken areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Fata.
A committee comprising civil and military officers will decide whether to issue NOC to relief agency or NGO to start rehabilitation activities in affected areas.
An official said the current process of issuing NOC to relief organisations was very lengthy as result many bodies had shifted their activities to other provinces.
He said several INGOs had abandoned their activities since federal government placed ban on their activities in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Fata.
The official said the provincial government and management in Fata would make process of NOC simple.
http://www.dawn.com/news/1204435/kp-govt-fata-secretariat-to-frame-guidelines-for-ngos
[h=1]2.5MW project inaugurated
[/h]MARDAN: A power project of 2.5 megawatt was inaugurated at Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan, which would be completed in next seven months with a total cost of Rs320 million.
Vice-Chancellor Prof Ihsan Ali inaugurated the project during a ceremony held here on Tuesday. Before the ceremony, a meeting was chaired by Prof Ihsan Ali and attended by officials concerned. Several suggestions regarding the project were discussed.
Contractor of the project, chief executive of Tie Group, Mohammad Imran, said on the occasion that the project would be completed by March 2016 and it would be ready to generate electricity with the help of gas, coal and wastes. He disclosed that this was the first project of its type in any university of Pakistan. He claimed that the Tie Group had so far completed up to 24MW power projects in different other sectors of the country, generating electricity for different purposes.
Prof Ali said that the project was of great value, which would bring prosperity for them. He said that the university had allotted one acre for the project. He said that with its completion the university would be self-sufficient in the production of electricity and hence, students, staff and faculty would not face electricity shortfall in future.
Published in Dawn, September 2nd, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1204437/25mw-project-inaugurated
[h=1]Summary to pay salaries to LHWs approved
[/h]PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Health Minister Shahram Khan Tarakai has said that a summary regarding payment of salaries to the lady health workers (LHWs) is being approved. He said that details of their services and schedule of new expenditures had been sent to the finance department to give basic pay scales to them.
He was chairing a meeting held here on Tuesday regarding the issues being faced by LHWs. The high-ups of health department and representatives of LHWs attended the meeting.
He asked the federal government to pay Rs2.4 billion to the provincial government to pay the arrears and salaries to over 13,000 LHWs in the province. The representatives of LHWs thanked the provincial minister for taking interest in solving their issues.
The minister assured the LHWs that all their genuine demands would be accepted and issues resolved on priority basis, saying that being a vertical programme of federal government it was the responsibility of the centre to provide funds to the provincial government for the salaries of LHWs.
http://www.dawn.com/news/1204438/summary-to-pay-salaries-to-lhws-approved
Syed Haider Imam
Chief Minister (5k+ posts)
Sep 03 2015
[h=1]Anti-encroachment drive launched in Maidan tehsil[/h]
TIMERGARA: The Lal Qilla Maidan administration on Wednesday launched a crackdown to remove roadside encroachments and dismantled scores of kiosks and cabins. It also closed down an illegal car parking in the area.
Assistant commissioner, Maidan, Hikmatullah Wazir and tehsildar Abdullah supervised the operation at Kumbar, Lal Qilla, Haya Serai, Manial, Shadas, Zaimdara and Shagai bazaars and dismantled several kiosks and roadside encroachments.
The officials also checked prices of daily use commodities and weight of bread being sold at these bazaars. As many as 25 shopkeepers were fined for not following official price lists and hygiene rules.
Meanwhile, Local Government and Rural Development Department, Lower Dir, assistant director Nasim Ahmad directed all secretaries’ of the union councils to establish separate offices for all village councils.
Chairing a meeting of the secretaries in Balambat, Mr Ahmad asked them to establish offices for the elected members of village councils on priority basis.
[h=1]PTI workers join PPP in Karak
[/h]KARAK: Scores of PTI workers from Takht-i-Nusrati tehsil resigned from the party over differences with the local leadership and joined PPP here on Wednesday.
Adil Mir Khattak, PTI senior vice president in Takht-i-Nusrati, said that the party workers were discriminated against during the intra-party elections and distribution of the party tickets for the local government polls.
Addressing the joining ceremony, he said that ideological workers were ignored by the local and provincial leadership of PTI. He said that they had joined PTI for bringing change in the country but there was contradiction between the sayings and deeds of the party leadership.
Mr Khattak said that along with his supporters joined PPP, which was a party of poor people. He said that they would work as common workers of PPP.
Speaking on the occasion, PPP district general secretary Jehanzeb Khattak said that PTI failed to bring any change in the province and in the lives of the poor people, who had voted for it in the last general elections.
He said that PPP would bring change in the lives of people. He said that they would serve the poor masses of the district with full devotion.
http://www.dawn.com/news/1204632/pti-workers-join-ppp-in-karak
[h=1]Rs700m okayed for Hazara University uplift
[/h]MANSEHRA: The Planning Commission has approved Rs700 million for development projects of Hazara University.
The approval was made during a recent meeting, where Hazara University Vice Chancellor Dr Habib Ahmad was also in attendance. According to a news release issued by the university, the funds will be spent on the establishment of research facilities to the benefit of both students and researchers.
http://www.dawn.com/news/1204637/rs700m-okayed-for-hazara-university-uplift
[h=1]PTI to act against violators of discipline in nazim polls
[/h]PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf has served show cause notices on 52 councillors, newly-elected district nazims, one senator and an MPA in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for allegedly violating the party’s discipline in the elections of tehsil and district nazims.
The basic party membership of these PTI activists, including Senator Azam Swati from Mansehra district, who had served as the party’s provincial chief, and MPA Yaseen Khan Khalil from Peshawar, will be terminated if they do not give satisfactory answer of the notices.
Flanked by PTI provincial organiser Fazal Khan, Chief Minister Pervez Khattak, who also belongs to Imran Khan’s party, told a news conference here on Wednesday that several councillors had committed floor crossing in the election of tehsil and district nazims and therefore, action was being taken against them under the local government law.
He said the defection clause of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Local Government Act 2013 would be applied to councillors, who had either remained absent on the polling day or supported the rival party’s candidates.
[h=4]Issues show cause notices to Senator Swati, MPA, councillors and tehsil, district nazims[/h]
The chief minister said PTI could not win slot of district and tehsil nazims due to defection of these councillors and they would be expelled from the party.
“There is no room for defectors in PTI and will be treated under Section 78(A) of the local government act,” he said, adding that the existing law did not allow floor crossing in local government elections.
Khattak said several councillor remained absent that gave benefit to candidates of the rival parties.
He said 52 defectors would receive show cause notices within one week and if they could not defend their positions then Election Commission of Pakistan would be requested to take legal action against them.
“The commission will make final decision against such people within one month,” he said.
The chief minister expressed satisfaction at the party’s performance in the local government elections and said PTI had managed to win nine slots of district nazim and 22 tehsil nazim across the province.
He said other political parties had jointly contested election against PTI despite that it (PTI) emerged single largest party in the province.
“Election results show that people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have trust in PTI and its popularity has further increased,” he said.
Khattak defended allotment of ticket to his brother to contest for the slot of Nowshera district nazim and said his brother’s nomination was made on merit.
He said he had discussed the issue with PTI chairman Imran Khan and convinced him.
PTI organiser Fazal Khan said show cause notices would be served on 10 PTI councillors in Peshawar, four in Karak, one in Charsadda, 11 in Buner, two in Malakand, 11 in Abbottabad, six in Havelian and five in Mansehra, while
two newly district nazims would also get notices for violating party discipline.
He said investigations were underway in other districts and that action would be taken against them for breaching the law and violating the party’s discipline.
Fazal Khan said Senator Azam Swati had also violated discipline and formed own group to elect his nephew as district nazim Mansehra.
He said Azam Swati and MPA Yaseen Khalil had campaigned against PTI’s candidates in Mansehra and Peshawar and would lose basic party membership if they did not reply to show cause notices.
Published in Dawn, September 3rd, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1204645/pti-to-act-against-violators-of-discipline-in-nazim-polls
[h=1]Anti-encroachment drive launched in Maidan tehsil[/h]
TIMERGARA: The Lal Qilla Maidan administration on Wednesday launched a crackdown to remove roadside encroachments and dismantled scores of kiosks and cabins. It also closed down an illegal car parking in the area.
Assistant commissioner, Maidan, Hikmatullah Wazir and tehsildar Abdullah supervised the operation at Kumbar, Lal Qilla, Haya Serai, Manial, Shadas, Zaimdara and Shagai bazaars and dismantled several kiosks and roadside encroachments.
The officials also checked prices of daily use commodities and weight of bread being sold at these bazaars. As many as 25 shopkeepers were fined for not following official price lists and hygiene rules.
Meanwhile, Local Government and Rural Development Department, Lower Dir, assistant director Nasim Ahmad directed all secretaries’ of the union councils to establish separate offices for all village councils.
Chairing a meeting of the secretaries in Balambat, Mr Ahmad asked them to establish offices for the elected members of village councils on priority basis.
[h=1]PTI workers join PPP in Karak
[/h]KARAK: Scores of PTI workers from Takht-i-Nusrati tehsil resigned from the party over differences with the local leadership and joined PPP here on Wednesday.
Adil Mir Khattak, PTI senior vice president in Takht-i-Nusrati, said that the party workers were discriminated against during the intra-party elections and distribution of the party tickets for the local government polls.
Addressing the joining ceremony, he said that ideological workers were ignored by the local and provincial leadership of PTI. He said that they had joined PTI for bringing change in the country but there was contradiction between the sayings and deeds of the party leadership.
Mr Khattak said that along with his supporters joined PPP, which was a party of poor people. He said that they would work as common workers of PPP.
Speaking on the occasion, PPP district general secretary Jehanzeb Khattak said that PTI failed to bring any change in the province and in the lives of the poor people, who had voted for it in the last general elections.
He said that PPP would bring change in the lives of people. He said that they would serve the poor masses of the district with full devotion.
http://www.dawn.com/news/1204632/pti-workers-join-ppp-in-karak
[h=1]Rs700m okayed for Hazara University uplift
[/h]MANSEHRA: The Planning Commission has approved Rs700 million for development projects of Hazara University.
The approval was made during a recent meeting, where Hazara University Vice Chancellor Dr Habib Ahmad was also in attendance. According to a news release issued by the university, the funds will be spent on the establishment of research facilities to the benefit of both students and researchers.
http://www.dawn.com/news/1204637/rs700m-okayed-for-hazara-university-uplift
[h=1]PTI to act against violators of discipline in nazim polls
[/h]PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf has served show cause notices on 52 councillors, newly-elected district nazims, one senator and an MPA in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for allegedly violating the party’s discipline in the elections of tehsil and district nazims.
The basic party membership of these PTI activists, including Senator Azam Swati from Mansehra district, who had served as the party’s provincial chief, and MPA Yaseen Khan Khalil from Peshawar, will be terminated if they do not give satisfactory answer of the notices.
Flanked by PTI provincial organiser Fazal Khan, Chief Minister Pervez Khattak, who also belongs to Imran Khan’s party, told a news conference here on Wednesday that several councillors had committed floor crossing in the election of tehsil and district nazims and therefore, action was being taken against them under the local government law.
He said the defection clause of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Local Government Act 2013 would be applied to councillors, who had either remained absent on the polling day or supported the rival party’s candidates.
[h=4]Issues show cause notices to Senator Swati, MPA, councillors and tehsil, district nazims[/h]
The chief minister said PTI could not win slot of district and tehsil nazims due to defection of these councillors and they would be expelled from the party.
“There is no room for defectors in PTI and will be treated under Section 78(A) of the local government act,” he said, adding that the existing law did not allow floor crossing in local government elections.
Khattak said several councillor remained absent that gave benefit to candidates of the rival parties.
He said 52 defectors would receive show cause notices within one week and if they could not defend their positions then Election Commission of Pakistan would be requested to take legal action against them.
“The commission will make final decision against such people within one month,” he said.
The chief minister expressed satisfaction at the party’s performance in the local government elections and said PTI had managed to win nine slots of district nazim and 22 tehsil nazim across the province.
He said other political parties had jointly contested election against PTI despite that it (PTI) emerged single largest party in the province.
“Election results show that people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have trust in PTI and its popularity has further increased,” he said.
Khattak defended allotment of ticket to his brother to contest for the slot of Nowshera district nazim and said his brother’s nomination was made on merit.
He said he had discussed the issue with PTI chairman Imran Khan and convinced him.
PTI organiser Fazal Khan said show cause notices would be served on 10 PTI councillors in Peshawar, four in Karak, one in Charsadda, 11 in Buner, two in Malakand, 11 in Abbottabad, six in Havelian and five in Mansehra, while
two newly district nazims would also get notices for violating party discipline.
He said investigations were underway in other districts and that action would be taken against them for breaching the law and violating the party’s discipline.
Fazal Khan said Senator Azam Swati had also violated discipline and formed own group to elect his nephew as district nazim Mansehra.
He said Azam Swati and MPA Yaseen Khalil had campaigned against PTI’s candidates in Mansehra and Peshawar and would lose basic party membership if they did not reply to show cause notices.
Published in Dawn, September 3rd, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1204645/pti-to-act-against-violators-of-discipline-in-nazim-polls
Syed Haider Imam
Chief Minister (5k+ posts)
Sep 04 2015
Swat tourism festival pulls crowd
MINGORA: Tourists thronged Kalam valley to attend the Fifth Swat Tourism and Trade Festival at Ushu Ground on its inaugural day on Thursday.
The five-day event was scheduled to be opened on August 11 but was postponed to express solidarity with Chitral people affected by the massive flash floods lately.
According to organisers, the festival slated to end on Sept 7 is meant to promote tourism, strengthen peace and increase socio-economic activities for creating job opportunities in the region.
Peshawar corps commander Lt-Gen Hidayatur Rehman was the chief guest in the inaugural ceremony, where Malakand GOC Major General Nadar Khan, Malakand DIG Azad Khan, Swat DC and DPO and the newly-elected district nazim were also in attendance.
Organisers say five-day event to strengthen peace, increase socio-economic activities
Major General Nadir Khan welcomed guests and assured them all possible facilities would be made available to them.
“The festival is an important step to promote tourism in Swat valley. It will also contribute to efforts for durable peace and prosperity in the region,” he said.
Peshawar corps commander Lt-Gen Hidayatur Rehman said peace had returned to Swat valley, which offered excellent tourist and commercial opportunities.
“Participation of the people from across the country in this festival is an open message to the whole world that Pakistan is a peaceful country and that foreigners come here, especially Swat, fearlessly,” he said.
Lt-Gen Hidayatur Rehman said security forces had eliminated anti-state elements from the valley in a very short span of time and thus, restoring peace.
“The Pakistan Army, civil administration and people are capable of tackling any challenge and can easily put the country back on the track of peace and prosperity,” he said.
Activities like tent pegging, motorcycling, paragliding, gymnastics and a performance of trained dogs were parts of the inaugural ceremony.
Folk dances from all four provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir also performed at the event to the delight of tourists. The organisers said funds would be raised to help flood victims of Chitral.
TV anchor Noorul Hassan, who was also present in the ceremony, said if people wanted to have spirituality and enjoy peace, they must visit Swat valley. “The environment is so peaceful and pleasant that it looks like real paradise,” he said.
Tourists appreciated holding of the festival and excellent arrangements for it.
“Last time, we missed the summer festival in Kalam but we’re lucky to be able to participate in this one. I must say Kalam is the most beautiful place in the world. It has everything for tourists from scenic places, beautiful rivers, fascinating waterfalls, lovely lakes and mesmerising mountains spellbind tourists,” said Maham Bilal, a tourist from Islamabad.
“There is no comparison of Swat’s beauty anywhere in the world. It has its own atmosphere and uniqueness. People from across the world must come and enjoy its beauty,” said Tayyab Naeem Akhtar, another tourist from Islamabad.
Published in Dawn, September 4th, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1204864/swat-tourism-festival-pulls-crowd
KP to take up LPG issue with centre
PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Oil and Gas Company Limited (KPOGCL) has decided to take up the issue of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) with the federal government so that the province could use the utility to meet its needs.
This was informed by Chief Executive Officer (CEO) KPOGCL Raziuddin Razi during a briefing to the media here on Thursday.
He said that as enshrined in Article 158 of the Constitution, the province had the right to use the natural gas being explored and produced there. “Therefore we are taking the case to the federal government and the court, if needed, so that we can utilise our resource of LPG and raise its production from the current 339 metric tons to 2,000 metric tons. We want to distribute the utility from southern parts of the province right to Chitral district,” Mr Razi said.
He added KPOGCL along with other resources wanted to develop the LPG and bring it in for household and automotive use.
About the oil production of the province he said the province was investing bullishly in oil and gas to produce more and more oil, gas and LPG not to only strengthen its once fragile economy but also to provide these utilities to oil and gas deficient Punjab.
He said that the 50,000 barrel per day (bpd) of crude oil, worth Rs300 million was being produced in the province, which was over 50 per cent of the total national production of 92,000 bpd. The CEO added that only two years ago the crude oil production of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was 30,000 bpd but after recording a whopping increase of 60 per cent it had now jumped up to 50,000 bpd thus saving Rs45 billion foreign exchange for the country.
He said gas production in the province had also increased to 400 million cubic feet per day and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa LPG production had also gone up from meagre 10 tons to 470 tons per day, which also eased burden on the national exchequer as the utility is mostly used by the poor.
Published in Dawn, September 4th, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1204871/kp-to-take-up-lpg-issue-with-centre
Swat tourism festival pulls crowd
MINGORA: Tourists thronged Kalam valley to attend the Fifth Swat Tourism and Trade Festival at Ushu Ground on its inaugural day on Thursday.
The five-day event was scheduled to be opened on August 11 but was postponed to express solidarity with Chitral people affected by the massive flash floods lately.
According to organisers, the festival slated to end on Sept 7 is meant to promote tourism, strengthen peace and increase socio-economic activities for creating job opportunities in the region.
Peshawar corps commander Lt-Gen Hidayatur Rehman was the chief guest in the inaugural ceremony, where Malakand GOC Major General Nadar Khan, Malakand DIG Azad Khan, Swat DC and DPO and the newly-elected district nazim were also in attendance.
Organisers say five-day event to strengthen peace, increase socio-economic activities
Major General Nadir Khan welcomed guests and assured them all possible facilities would be made available to them.
“The festival is an important step to promote tourism in Swat valley. It will also contribute to efforts for durable peace and prosperity in the region,” he said.
Peshawar corps commander Lt-Gen Hidayatur Rehman said peace had returned to Swat valley, which offered excellent tourist and commercial opportunities.
“Participation of the people from across the country in this festival is an open message to the whole world that Pakistan is a peaceful country and that foreigners come here, especially Swat, fearlessly,” he said.
Lt-Gen Hidayatur Rehman said security forces had eliminated anti-state elements from the valley in a very short span of time and thus, restoring peace.
“The Pakistan Army, civil administration and people are capable of tackling any challenge and can easily put the country back on the track of peace and prosperity,” he said.
Activities like tent pegging, motorcycling, paragliding, gymnastics and a performance of trained dogs were parts of the inaugural ceremony.
Folk dances from all four provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir also performed at the event to the delight of tourists. The organisers said funds would be raised to help flood victims of Chitral.
TV anchor Noorul Hassan, who was also present in the ceremony, said if people wanted to have spirituality and enjoy peace, they must visit Swat valley. “The environment is so peaceful and pleasant that it looks like real paradise,” he said.
Tourists appreciated holding of the festival and excellent arrangements for it.
“Last time, we missed the summer festival in Kalam but we’re lucky to be able to participate in this one. I must say Kalam is the most beautiful place in the world. It has everything for tourists from scenic places, beautiful rivers, fascinating waterfalls, lovely lakes and mesmerising mountains spellbind tourists,” said Maham Bilal, a tourist from Islamabad.
“There is no comparison of Swat’s beauty anywhere in the world. It has its own atmosphere and uniqueness. People from across the world must come and enjoy its beauty,” said Tayyab Naeem Akhtar, another tourist from Islamabad.
Published in Dawn, September 4th, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1204864/swat-tourism-festival-pulls-crowd
KP to take up LPG issue with centre
PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Oil and Gas Company Limited (KPOGCL) has decided to take up the issue of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) with the federal government so that the province could use the utility to meet its needs.
This was informed by Chief Executive Officer (CEO) KPOGCL Raziuddin Razi during a briefing to the media here on Thursday.
He said that as enshrined in Article 158 of the Constitution, the province had the right to use the natural gas being explored and produced there. “Therefore we are taking the case to the federal government and the court, if needed, so that we can utilise our resource of LPG and raise its production from the current 339 metric tons to 2,000 metric tons. We want to distribute the utility from southern parts of the province right to Chitral district,” Mr Razi said.
He added KPOGCL along with other resources wanted to develop the LPG and bring it in for household and automotive use.
About the oil production of the province he said the province was investing bullishly in oil and gas to produce more and more oil, gas and LPG not to only strengthen its once fragile economy but also to provide these utilities to oil and gas deficient Punjab.
He said that the 50,000 barrel per day (bpd) of crude oil, worth Rs300 million was being produced in the province, which was over 50 per cent of the total national production of 92,000 bpd. The CEO added that only two years ago the crude oil production of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was 30,000 bpd but after recording a whopping increase of 60 per cent it had now jumped up to 50,000 bpd thus saving Rs45 billion foreign exchange for the country.
He said gas production in the province had also increased to 400 million cubic feet per day and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa LPG production had also gone up from meagre 10 tons to 470 tons per day, which also eased burden on the national exchequer as the utility is mostly used by the poor.
Published in Dawn, September 4th, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1204871/kp-to-take-up-lpg-issue-with-centre
Syed Haider Imam
Chief Minister (5k+ posts)
Sep -5 2015
[h=1]Protesting health workers threaten to boycott anti-polio drive
AKKI MARWAT: Hundreds of lady health workers (LHWs) and lady health supervisors (LHSs) staged protest demonstrations in parts of Khyber Pakhunkhwa on Friday demanding release of their salaries, withheld for the last few months. [/h]The protesters threatened to boycott the anti-polio drive scheduled to be launched in the current month of September. They said that they had not been paid salaries for the last three months.
“We cannot think about to educate our children in standard educational institutions nor we have a single penny to run our houses,” the protesters said.
[h=4]LHWs hold rallies in different districts to demand regularisation, release of salaries[/h]
A lady health worker said that the government was using delaying tactics to implement the judgment of Supreme Court of Pakistan according to which the LHWs and LHSs had been given their due rights.
“Despite legislation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, the provincial government has not yet given the status of regular employee to the female health workers,” said the protesters.
They demanded payment of pay scale-based salaries through accountant general office and asked the relevant quarters to prepare and complete service books of LHWs and LHSs.
In Lakki Marwat, over 100 lady health workers and lady health supervisors blocked the Lakki-Bannu road to press the government for acceptance of their demands.
The transporters and commuters faced hardships owing to closure of the busy road. However, traffic wardens rushed to the area and diverted traffic to alternate routes.
Later, district nazim Ishfaq Ahmad Khan Meenakhel and district health officer Dr Abdul Ghaffar Wazir held talks with the protesters and assured them that they would be paid salaries within the next couple of days.
In Karak, the LHSs and LHWs took to streets and set the deadline of September 9 for releasing their withheld salaries.
The protesters said that their salaries were stopped by the government for the last four months. They said that the case of regularising their service was pending since July 2012 but the government was making lame excuses to regularise them.
They said that they should be given the status of civil servants. They criticised the government for its indifferent attitude with the leady health staff.
In Mardan, scores of LHWs and LHSa, office staff and drivers held a protest demonstration and blocked the busy Shamsi road to traffic for several hours.
The protesters demanded implementation of the order of their regularisation, payment of arrears and release of their salaries.
They set 48 hours ultimatum for fulfillment of their demands and threatened to boycott the anti-polio campaign if their demands were not met.
In Bannu, LHWs and LHSs also staged a protest demonstration to seek regularisation and release of their salaries.
The protesters after passing through various roads gathered outside Women and Children Hospital where they blocked the road.
Published in Dawn, September 5th, 2015
[h=1]PTI asks ‘violators’ of discipline to explain position in a week
[/h]PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf on Friday formally initiated disciplinary action against some of its senior leaders and newly-elected councillors by issuing show cause notices to them for the alleged violation of party discipline during the elections for district and tehsil nazims and naib-nazims.
“The show cause notices were issued on Friday evening,” a source in the PTI provincial secretariat told Dawn.
He said besides dozens of members of district and tehsil/town councils, Senator Azam Swati and MPA Yaseen Khan Khalil were also among those who were put on notice.
“They all will receive show cause notices by tomorrow (Sunday) and will be bound to reply within a week,” he said.
When contacted, PTI provincial organiser Fazal Khan confirmed the issuance of show cause notices.
When asked about the allegations against Azam Swati and Yaseen Khalil, he said 10 councillors of Town-III were found sitting in the house of Khalil at the time when elections were underway at the Government Higher Secondary School City No 1 on August 30.
Fazal Khan said four PTI councillors of Mansehra district council had voted for PML-N candidate on the alleged orders of Azam Swati and thus, causing the defeat of the PTI candidate in the elections.
“The party membership of Mr Swati and Mr Khalil will be terminated if their explanation is found to be unsatisfactory,” he said.
On Wednesday, Fazal Khan had told a news conference along the chief minister that show cause notices would be issued to 52 councillors of district and tehsil/town councils, including 10 in Peshawar, four in Karak, one in Charsadda, 11 in Buner, two in Malakand, 11 in Abbottabad, six in Havelian and five in Mansehra.
He had said two newly district nazims would also be put on notice for violating party discipline.
When contacted, MPA Yaseen Khalil said he had already explained to senior party leadership over the telephone that he had not asked any councillor to stay away from elections or be at his house during that time.
He said on August 30 (election day), the party leadership was present at the Chief Minister’s House, which had not decided names for the nazim and naib nazim until 7am, so he left the place for home.
The MPA said he was asleep when around 30 members of Peshawar district council and 11 of Town-III gathered at his house.
He said when he asked councillors the reason for coming to his house, they replied that they were confused and didn’t know about the PTI candidate for the district and town nazims.
“However at 2pm, I asked them (councillors) to go participate in elections,” he said.
The MPA said members of district council cast vote in favour of PTI candidate Mohammad Asim Khan but 11 councilors of Town-III couldn’t participate in the elections as when they reached there after the election process ended.
Senator Azam Swati couldn’t be reached for comments as he is currently in Dubai.
Published in Dawn, September 5th, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1205080/pti-asks-violators-of-discipline-to-explain-position-in-a-week
[h=1]
[/h]
[h=1]Protesting health workers threaten to boycott anti-polio drive
AKKI MARWAT: Hundreds of lady health workers (LHWs) and lady health supervisors (LHSs) staged protest demonstrations in parts of Khyber Pakhunkhwa on Friday demanding release of their salaries, withheld for the last few months. [/h]The protesters threatened to boycott the anti-polio drive scheduled to be launched in the current month of September. They said that they had not been paid salaries for the last three months.
“We cannot think about to educate our children in standard educational institutions nor we have a single penny to run our houses,” the protesters said.
[h=4]LHWs hold rallies in different districts to demand regularisation, release of salaries[/h]
A lady health worker said that the government was using delaying tactics to implement the judgment of Supreme Court of Pakistan according to which the LHWs and LHSs had been given their due rights.
“Despite legislation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, the provincial government has not yet given the status of regular employee to the female health workers,” said the protesters.
They demanded payment of pay scale-based salaries through accountant general office and asked the relevant quarters to prepare and complete service books of LHWs and LHSs.
In Lakki Marwat, over 100 lady health workers and lady health supervisors blocked the Lakki-Bannu road to press the government for acceptance of their demands.
The transporters and commuters faced hardships owing to closure of the busy road. However, traffic wardens rushed to the area and diverted traffic to alternate routes.
Later, district nazim Ishfaq Ahmad Khan Meenakhel and district health officer Dr Abdul Ghaffar Wazir held talks with the protesters and assured them that they would be paid salaries within the next couple of days.
In Karak, the LHSs and LHWs took to streets and set the deadline of September 9 for releasing their withheld salaries.
The protesters said that their salaries were stopped by the government for the last four months. They said that the case of regularising their service was pending since July 2012 but the government was making lame excuses to regularise them.
They said that they should be given the status of civil servants. They criticised the government for its indifferent attitude with the leady health staff.
In Mardan, scores of LHWs and LHSa, office staff and drivers held a protest demonstration and blocked the busy Shamsi road to traffic for several hours.
The protesters demanded implementation of the order of their regularisation, payment of arrears and release of their salaries.
They set 48 hours ultimatum for fulfillment of their demands and threatened to boycott the anti-polio campaign if their demands were not met.
In Bannu, LHWs and LHSs also staged a protest demonstration to seek regularisation and release of their salaries.
The protesters after passing through various roads gathered outside Women and Children Hospital where they blocked the road.
Published in Dawn, September 5th, 2015
[h=1]PTI asks ‘violators’ of discipline to explain position in a week
[/h]PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf on Friday formally initiated disciplinary action against some of its senior leaders and newly-elected councillors by issuing show cause notices to them for the alleged violation of party discipline during the elections for district and tehsil nazims and naib-nazims.
“The show cause notices were issued on Friday evening,” a source in the PTI provincial secretariat told Dawn.
He said besides dozens of members of district and tehsil/town councils, Senator Azam Swati and MPA Yaseen Khan Khalil were also among those who were put on notice.
“They all will receive show cause notices by tomorrow (Sunday) and will be bound to reply within a week,” he said.
When contacted, PTI provincial organiser Fazal Khan confirmed the issuance of show cause notices.
When asked about the allegations against Azam Swati and Yaseen Khalil, he said 10 councillors of Town-III were found sitting in the house of Khalil at the time when elections were underway at the Government Higher Secondary School City No 1 on August 30.
Fazal Khan said four PTI councillors of Mansehra district council had voted for PML-N candidate on the alleged orders of Azam Swati and thus, causing the defeat of the PTI candidate in the elections.
“The party membership of Mr Swati and Mr Khalil will be terminated if their explanation is found to be unsatisfactory,” he said.
On Wednesday, Fazal Khan had told a news conference along the chief minister that show cause notices would be issued to 52 councillors of district and tehsil/town councils, including 10 in Peshawar, four in Karak, one in Charsadda, 11 in Buner, two in Malakand, 11 in Abbottabad, six in Havelian and five in Mansehra.
He had said two newly district nazims would also be put on notice for violating party discipline.
When contacted, MPA Yaseen Khalil said he had already explained to senior party leadership over the telephone that he had not asked any councillor to stay away from elections or be at his house during that time.
He said on August 30 (election day), the party leadership was present at the Chief Minister’s House, which had not decided names for the nazim and naib nazim until 7am, so he left the place for home.
The MPA said he was asleep when around 30 members of Peshawar district council and 11 of Town-III gathered at his house.
He said when he asked councillors the reason for coming to his house, they replied that they were confused and didn’t know about the PTI candidate for the district and town nazims.
“However at 2pm, I asked them (councillors) to go participate in elections,” he said.
The MPA said members of district council cast vote in favour of PTI candidate Mohammad Asim Khan but 11 councilors of Town-III couldn’t participate in the elections as when they reached there after the election process ended.
Senator Azam Swati couldn’t be reached for comments as he is currently in Dubai.
Published in Dawn, September 5th, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1205080/pti-asks-violators-of-discipline-to-explain-position-in-a-week
[h=1]
[/h]
Syed Haider Imam
Chief Minister (5k+ posts)
Sep 06 2015
Explosive device recovered from car
PESHAWAR: The local police here on Saturday claimed to have recovered an explosive device from a motorcar and arrested three suspected terrorists, believed to be involved in several acts of terrorism.
According to the special police unit (SPU) of the local police, they stopped a vehicle bearing registration number MNE-8613 near New Ring Road in the limits of Mathra police station.
The law enforcers said that they recovered from the trunk of the vehicle an explosive device, fitted in the spare wheel. It was time device, they said. The SPU also arrested three suspects identified as Hidayatullah, Sanaullah and Noorullah alias Sajjad, who were boarding the car.
Police said that during preliminary investigation they came to know that those suspects were also involved in attacks on polio vaccinators and policemen apart from extortion.
Published in Dawn, September 6th, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1205266/explosive-device-recovered-from-car
Call to set up modern dry port
PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chamber of Commerce and Industry has urged FBR and Pakistan Railways to materialise the decision of National Assembly standing committee on Commerce and establish a modern dry port in Peshawar to improve the exports and imports.
Pak-Afghan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry director Ziaul Haq Sarhadi on Saturday appreciated the approval of modern dry port in Peshawar by the National Assembly standing committee on commerce and said that the credit went to KPCCI president Fawad Ishaq, who properly pleaded the case of dry port before the committee and got it approved.
Mr Sarhadi, who is also vice president of All Pakistan Customs Agents Association, told Dawn that the business community was making efforts for the dry port for the past three decades but the successive government never bothered to pay serious attention towards this core issue of international level.
He said that Peshawar was a gateway to the Central Asian States but its existing dry port was in a very pathetic condition where not only the exporters and importers were facing hardships but the lack of facilities was also affecting the revenue of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Mr Sarhadi said that in Peshawar there was no proper dry port but godown at Cantonment Railways Station had been changed into the dry port in 1986 which could not meet the requirements of today.
Published in Dawn, September 6th, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1205263/call-to-set-up-modern-dry-port
Explosive device recovered from car
PESHAWAR: The local police here on Saturday claimed to have recovered an explosive device from a motorcar and arrested three suspected terrorists, believed to be involved in several acts of terrorism.
According to the special police unit (SPU) of the local police, they stopped a vehicle bearing registration number MNE-8613 near New Ring Road in the limits of Mathra police station.
The law enforcers said that they recovered from the trunk of the vehicle an explosive device, fitted in the spare wheel. It was time device, they said. The SPU also arrested three suspects identified as Hidayatullah, Sanaullah and Noorullah alias Sajjad, who were boarding the car.
Police said that during preliminary investigation they came to know that those suspects were also involved in attacks on polio vaccinators and policemen apart from extortion.
Published in Dawn, September 6th, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1205266/explosive-device-recovered-from-car
Call to set up modern dry port
PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chamber of Commerce and Industry has urged FBR and Pakistan Railways to materialise the decision of National Assembly standing committee on Commerce and establish a modern dry port in Peshawar to improve the exports and imports.
Pak-Afghan Joint Chamber of Commerce and Industry director Ziaul Haq Sarhadi on Saturday appreciated the approval of modern dry port in Peshawar by the National Assembly standing committee on commerce and said that the credit went to KPCCI president Fawad Ishaq, who properly pleaded the case of dry port before the committee and got it approved.
Mr Sarhadi, who is also vice president of All Pakistan Customs Agents Association, told Dawn that the business community was making efforts for the dry port for the past three decades but the successive government never bothered to pay serious attention towards this core issue of international level.
He said that Peshawar was a gateway to the Central Asian States but its existing dry port was in a very pathetic condition where not only the exporters and importers were facing hardships but the lack of facilities was also affecting the revenue of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Mr Sarhadi said that in Peshawar there was no proper dry port but godown at Cantonment Railways Station had been changed into the dry port in 1986 which could not meet the requirements of today.
Published in Dawn, September 6th, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1205263/call-to-set-up-modern-dry-port
Last edited:
Syed Haider Imam
Chief Minister (5k+ posts)
Sep -7 2015
[h=1]View from the courtroom: KP’s Ehtesab law under scrutiny
[/h]As the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ehtesab Commission (KPEC) continues to deal with some high-profile cases, the law governing the commission has presently been under scrutiny. Recently, the provincial government constituted a high-level committee, headed by senior provincial minister Enayatullah Khan, for making recommendations to bring suitable amendments to the KPEC Act 2014 so as to bring clarity to several of its provisions mainly related to the arrest of suspects.
The committee has also been assigned the task to make recommendations so that the law should not be misused and a suspect should only be arrested after proper inquiry if he was prima facie found involved in corruption and corrupt practices.
Interesting situation emerged when a member of the committee, Sajid Khan Jadoon, who is provincial secretary of industries department and president of PCS (Provincial Civil Services) Officers Association, was arrested on Aug 26. The officer, who is presently in the custody of the commission, has claimed that he has been victimised as he had questioned in the said committee the enormous powers assigned to the director general of the commission.
His counsel, Ghulam Mohiuddin Malik, has on Sept 1 submitted before a bench of the Peshawar High Court a copy of the recommendations which he had made as a member of the committee. After preliminary arguments the court directed the KPEC to submit comments within a week.
Mr Jadoon was arrested on the charges that he was involved in misappropriation of funds and had committed illegalities in purchase of weapons, wireless sets, bulletproof jackets and other procurements when he was the secretary of excise and taxation department.
The counsel contended that recommendations of the petitioner included increase in the powers of the Ehtesab Commission as presently the commission comprising commissioners appointed after scrutiny had no noteworthy role in ordering arrest of a person and conducting inquiries and investigations.
Whether the allegations leveled by KPEC against Mr Jadoon are correct or the case against him is based on mala fide intentions, it would be proved in the court of law. But the disappearance of the five Ehtesab commissioners from the scene has now raised many eyebrows.
Over a year ago the provincial government notified the appointments of Chief Ehtesab Commissioner (CEC) and commissioners under the KPEC Act, 2014. Since the publishing of the names of these commissioners their activities are least heard of and apparently they got nothing to do with the important affairs of the Ehtesab Commission, including authorizing inquiries, investigations, arrest of suspects, filing of references before the court, etc.
Under Section 3 of the KPEC Act 2014 the government shall establish the KP Ehtesab Commission after the commencement of this Act. Section 4 of the Act provides that the commission shall comprise of five commissioners nominated by the search and scrutiny committee and confirmed by the legislative committee on governance and accountability.
Following a comprehensive process provided in the Act, the government appointed the five commissioners, including the Chief Ehtesab Commissioner. In this regard a notification was issued by the establishment department which was reported in Aug 2014. According to the notification, the government appointed a former PHC judge, retired justice Hamid Farooq Durrani, as the CEC, and ex-director education Syeda Sarwat Jehan, ex-district and sessions Judge Sahibzada Khurshid Ahmed, ex-controller BISE Islamabad Mumtaz Ali Khan and retired Col Abdul Wahid Jan Abbasi, as Ehtesab commissioners.
Section 9 of the Act explains the powers and functions of the commission. The important functions of the commission are: to appoint the director general, prosecutor general and director internal monitoring and public complaints wing for the smooth functioning of the Commission and effective discharge of the statutory obligations of the same; to approve organisational structure and positions to be filled in by employees; to approve annual budget of the Commission; to approve regulation required to be made under this Act; to issue policy guidelines for the Commission, its officers and employees, etc.
The commission is also empowered to oversee its own overall performance and that of its officers and employees without interfering in day-to-day operational matters: provided that the commissioners shall not engage directly or indirectly with an accused or other party involved with a complaint or case under investigation or prosecution or otherwise being considered by the director general.
Furthermore, Section 10 provides that the commission may meet, once in a month, as often as necessary, for effective performance of its functions. It is not known when the last meeting of the commission has taken place. There is also no mention of any activity of the commission on the official website of KPEC. A look at the website clearly shows that KPEC director general enjoys enormous powers.
Initially, when the KPEC Act was enacted in Jan 2014 it also provided for the repealing of the Anti-Corruption Establishment Ordinance 1961, which meant that after establishment of the commission the cases with ACE would stand transferred to the commission. However, the government made an amendment to the law in June 2014 providing for the continuation of ACE. As such, two parallel bodies have now been performing the task of anti-corruption in the province.
Recently, the provincial government made amendments to the KPEC Act. The said amendments were enacted on Aug 20. Those amendments were aimed at plugging certain flaws in the law to stop releasing of suspects on bail by the high court.
Apparently, the amendments were aimed at keeping some high-profile suspects, including ex-provincial minister Ziaullah Afridi behind bars. Those amendments bore fruit as the high court on Aug 2 declined to allow interim bail to Mr Afridi and an ex-director general of mineral department, Dr Liaquat Ali. Both were arrested on the charges of facilitating illegal mining.
Legal experts dealing with accountability cases believe that the government committee should consult experts on the subject before recommending amendments. They believe that the role of Ehtesab commissioners, especially CEC, should be enhanced as far as inquiries, investigation and prosecution of suspects are concerned.
Published in Dawn, September 7th, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1205434/view-from-the-courtroom-kps-ehtesab-law-under-scrutiny
[h=1]CM announces establishment of Kalam Development Authority
[/h]MINGORA: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak has announced establishment of Kalam Development Authority which will especially cater for the development of communication, tourism, sports and environment infrastructure in the tourist resort.
He was speaking at the concluding ceremony of the fifth Swat Tourism and Trade Festival 2015 at Shahi Ground, Kalam, on Sunday.
General Officer Commanding, Malakand Army Division, Maj-Gen Nadir Khan, adviser to chief minister on sports and tourism Amjad Afridi, DDAC Swat chairman Fazal Hakim, MNA Salimur Rehman and civil and military officers besides a large number of tourists and local people attended the celebrations.
The chief minister said that Swat was peaceful because of the sacrifices of people of Swat, police and the security forces and organizing such a big tourism-boosting festival was appreciable.
[h=4]Sultan Golden sets world record of car reverse jump at Swat festival[/h]
He also paid tribute to the martyrs of the 1965 Pakistan-India war.
“The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government will organise the summer festival every year to promote tourism and trade in the scenic valley. We have to forget the past and move forward towards development and prosperity to send a clear message to the world that Pakistan is a peaceful country,” he said.
Mr Khattak announced that the government would construct a stadium in the Shahi Ground of Kalam, parks in several areas, link roads to tourist sites and Kalam-Mahodand road.
Famous stuntman Sultan Mohammad Khan Golden also participated in the festival and broke the world record by making a car reverse jump of 37 meters in Shahi Ground at Kalam. The feast was witnessed by a big crowd of tourists and local people. On this occasion, the chief minister and GOC Malakand congratulated him for his successful jump and setting a new record of car reverse jump.
“If the government supports me in my mission, I can win international fame and awards for the country and can set more international records,” Sultan Golden said.
APP ADDS: Chief Minister Pervez Khattak said that participation of a large number of people from every nook and corner of the country in Swat festival showed the fact that peace had been restored in the picturesque valley of Swat.
Describing the events like Swat festival as a source for promoting harmony and brotherhood among the people of the country, Mr Khattak said that it was a matter of pride for the whole nation that the Pakistan Army, the civil government and people were on the same page for combating terrorism and other evils and ensuring progress and development of the country.
He announced that Kalam festival would be made a permanent annual feature of the province.
He said that the Kalam Development Authority would be provided with all required financial and regulatory support.
He said that the local people and tourists would witness a visible progress on improvement of the communication infrastructure as well as other facilities in Kalam by next year.
He said that some projects had already been approved for Kalam.
Expressing concern over delay in the construction of Kalam-Mingora road, the chief minister said that he had held several meetings with the NHA authorities for early completion of the project and he hoped that work would start on the project soon.
The chief minister viewed the stalls of local handicrafts, products and other trade and cultural activities and laid a floral wreath on the monument of martyrs.
Earlier, Maj-Gen Nadir Khan presented the welcome address and highlighted the significance of the festival.
Published in Dawn, September 7th, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1205438/cm-announces-establishment-of-kalam-development-authority
[h=1]
[/h]
[h=1]View from the courtroom: KP’s Ehtesab law under scrutiny
[/h]As the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ehtesab Commission (KPEC) continues to deal with some high-profile cases, the law governing the commission has presently been under scrutiny. Recently, the provincial government constituted a high-level committee, headed by senior provincial minister Enayatullah Khan, for making recommendations to bring suitable amendments to the KPEC Act 2014 so as to bring clarity to several of its provisions mainly related to the arrest of suspects.
The committee has also been assigned the task to make recommendations so that the law should not be misused and a suspect should only be arrested after proper inquiry if he was prima facie found involved in corruption and corrupt practices.
Interesting situation emerged when a member of the committee, Sajid Khan Jadoon, who is provincial secretary of industries department and president of PCS (Provincial Civil Services) Officers Association, was arrested on Aug 26. The officer, who is presently in the custody of the commission, has claimed that he has been victimised as he had questioned in the said committee the enormous powers assigned to the director general of the commission.
His counsel, Ghulam Mohiuddin Malik, has on Sept 1 submitted before a bench of the Peshawar High Court a copy of the recommendations which he had made as a member of the committee. After preliminary arguments the court directed the KPEC to submit comments within a week.
Mr Jadoon was arrested on the charges that he was involved in misappropriation of funds and had committed illegalities in purchase of weapons, wireless sets, bulletproof jackets and other procurements when he was the secretary of excise and taxation department.
The counsel contended that recommendations of the petitioner included increase in the powers of the Ehtesab Commission as presently the commission comprising commissioners appointed after scrutiny had no noteworthy role in ordering arrest of a person and conducting inquiries and investigations.
Whether the allegations leveled by KPEC against Mr Jadoon are correct or the case against him is based on mala fide intentions, it would be proved in the court of law. But the disappearance of the five Ehtesab commissioners from the scene has now raised many eyebrows.
Over a year ago the provincial government notified the appointments of Chief Ehtesab Commissioner (CEC) and commissioners under the KPEC Act, 2014. Since the publishing of the names of these commissioners their activities are least heard of and apparently they got nothing to do with the important affairs of the Ehtesab Commission, including authorizing inquiries, investigations, arrest of suspects, filing of references before the court, etc.
Under Section 3 of the KPEC Act 2014 the government shall establish the KP Ehtesab Commission after the commencement of this Act. Section 4 of the Act provides that the commission shall comprise of five commissioners nominated by the search and scrutiny committee and confirmed by the legislative committee on governance and accountability.
Following a comprehensive process provided in the Act, the government appointed the five commissioners, including the Chief Ehtesab Commissioner. In this regard a notification was issued by the establishment department which was reported in Aug 2014. According to the notification, the government appointed a former PHC judge, retired justice Hamid Farooq Durrani, as the CEC, and ex-director education Syeda Sarwat Jehan, ex-district and sessions Judge Sahibzada Khurshid Ahmed, ex-controller BISE Islamabad Mumtaz Ali Khan and retired Col Abdul Wahid Jan Abbasi, as Ehtesab commissioners.
Section 9 of the Act explains the powers and functions of the commission. The important functions of the commission are: to appoint the director general, prosecutor general and director internal monitoring and public complaints wing for the smooth functioning of the Commission and effective discharge of the statutory obligations of the same; to approve organisational structure and positions to be filled in by employees; to approve annual budget of the Commission; to approve regulation required to be made under this Act; to issue policy guidelines for the Commission, its officers and employees, etc.
The commission is also empowered to oversee its own overall performance and that of its officers and employees without interfering in day-to-day operational matters: provided that the commissioners shall not engage directly or indirectly with an accused or other party involved with a complaint or case under investigation or prosecution or otherwise being considered by the director general.
Furthermore, Section 10 provides that the commission may meet, once in a month, as often as necessary, for effective performance of its functions. It is not known when the last meeting of the commission has taken place. There is also no mention of any activity of the commission on the official website of KPEC. A look at the website clearly shows that KPEC director general enjoys enormous powers.
Initially, when the KPEC Act was enacted in Jan 2014 it also provided for the repealing of the Anti-Corruption Establishment Ordinance 1961, which meant that after establishment of the commission the cases with ACE would stand transferred to the commission. However, the government made an amendment to the law in June 2014 providing for the continuation of ACE. As such, two parallel bodies have now been performing the task of anti-corruption in the province.
Recently, the provincial government made amendments to the KPEC Act. The said amendments were enacted on Aug 20. Those amendments were aimed at plugging certain flaws in the law to stop releasing of suspects on bail by the high court.
Apparently, the amendments were aimed at keeping some high-profile suspects, including ex-provincial minister Ziaullah Afridi behind bars. Those amendments bore fruit as the high court on Aug 2 declined to allow interim bail to Mr Afridi and an ex-director general of mineral department, Dr Liaquat Ali. Both were arrested on the charges of facilitating illegal mining.
Legal experts dealing with accountability cases believe that the government committee should consult experts on the subject before recommending amendments. They believe that the role of Ehtesab commissioners, especially CEC, should be enhanced as far as inquiries, investigation and prosecution of suspects are concerned.
Published in Dawn, September 7th, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1205434/view-from-the-courtroom-kps-ehtesab-law-under-scrutiny
[h=1]CM announces establishment of Kalam Development Authority
[/h]MINGORA: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Pervez Khattak has announced establishment of Kalam Development Authority which will especially cater for the development of communication, tourism, sports and environment infrastructure in the tourist resort.
He was speaking at the concluding ceremony of the fifth Swat Tourism and Trade Festival 2015 at Shahi Ground, Kalam, on Sunday.
General Officer Commanding, Malakand Army Division, Maj-Gen Nadir Khan, adviser to chief minister on sports and tourism Amjad Afridi, DDAC Swat chairman Fazal Hakim, MNA Salimur Rehman and civil and military officers besides a large number of tourists and local people attended the celebrations.
The chief minister said that Swat was peaceful because of the sacrifices of people of Swat, police and the security forces and organizing such a big tourism-boosting festival was appreciable.
[h=4]Sultan Golden sets world record of car reverse jump at Swat festival[/h]
He also paid tribute to the martyrs of the 1965 Pakistan-India war.
“The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government will organise the summer festival every year to promote tourism and trade in the scenic valley. We have to forget the past and move forward towards development and prosperity to send a clear message to the world that Pakistan is a peaceful country,” he said.
Mr Khattak announced that the government would construct a stadium in the Shahi Ground of Kalam, parks in several areas, link roads to tourist sites and Kalam-Mahodand road.
Famous stuntman Sultan Mohammad Khan Golden also participated in the festival and broke the world record by making a car reverse jump of 37 meters in Shahi Ground at Kalam. The feast was witnessed by a big crowd of tourists and local people. On this occasion, the chief minister and GOC Malakand congratulated him for his successful jump and setting a new record of car reverse jump.
“If the government supports me in my mission, I can win international fame and awards for the country and can set more international records,” Sultan Golden said.
APP ADDS: Chief Minister Pervez Khattak said that participation of a large number of people from every nook and corner of the country in Swat festival showed the fact that peace had been restored in the picturesque valley of Swat.
Describing the events like Swat festival as a source for promoting harmony and brotherhood among the people of the country, Mr Khattak said that it was a matter of pride for the whole nation that the Pakistan Army, the civil government and people were on the same page for combating terrorism and other evils and ensuring progress and development of the country.
He announced that Kalam festival would be made a permanent annual feature of the province.
He said that the Kalam Development Authority would be provided with all required financial and regulatory support.
He said that the local people and tourists would witness a visible progress on improvement of the communication infrastructure as well as other facilities in Kalam by next year.
He said that some projects had already been approved for Kalam.
Expressing concern over delay in the construction of Kalam-Mingora road, the chief minister said that he had held several meetings with the NHA authorities for early completion of the project and he hoped that work would start on the project soon.
The chief minister viewed the stalls of local handicrafts, products and other trade and cultural activities and laid a floral wreath on the monument of martyrs.
Earlier, Maj-Gen Nadir Khan presented the welcome address and highlighted the significance of the festival.
Published in Dawn, September 7th, 2015
http://www.dawn.com/news/1205438/cm-announces-establishment-of-kalam-development-authority
[h=1]
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